ગુજરાતી
English
BJP’s Bhupendra Patel government allowed industrialists to loot 18 lakh square meters of green forests for gold in two years.
The tree cover in the state has decreased by 34.32 percent in the last decade.
For the first time in 20 years, the tree cover in the state has decreased by 3 percent
In the name of development of industries, trees are being cut by providing pasture to cows.
For the last 28 years, the BJP government of Gujarat has been giving away forest land, which is a natural resource, to industries in the name of development.
In the assembly in 2023, the BJP government, in response to the questions of the legislators, said that in two years, 180 hectares of forest land was allotted to industries, Rs 78.71 crore was taken from the industries for 180 hectares i.e. 18 lakh square meters. Of the land
One square meter article was given for just Rs 437 and the forests were plowed.
In the year 2021, 21 industrialists were trying to grab forest land. In which 172 hectares of land was given by the government. In 2022, 9 industries have taken over the green land of the forest. In which 7.35 hectares of land was given by Bhupendra Patel’s government. A total of 30 industrialists grabbed 180 hectares of forest land in two years.
In Surat district, the ArcelorMittal-Nippo group asked the government to grab 196.90 hectares of land in Hazira-Suvali of the forest department. Out of 93 hectares of encroached land, 65.73 hectares was encroached upon by the BJP government, which was compensated by Rs.6.93 crore for afforestation. An area of 7.18 hectares has been de-stressed. In Kutch’s Angho village, 206.38 hectares of non-forest land was acquired.
35 percent reduction in trees
According to the Forest Department report in 2022, Gujarat has a geographical area of 1.96 lakh sq km and currently has a tree cover of 5489 sq km. Which was 8358 sq km 10 years ago in 2013. 2869 sq km in ten years. Trees were cut from the area. Which shows a decrease of 34.32% in 10 years. Gujarat ranks sixth in the country in terms of tree plantation. For the first time in the last 20 years, the tree cover in Gujarat has come down to less than three per cent. The best situation was when Narendra Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat. This was in 2002-3. At that time the area was 10583 km² (5.40%). After this, the process of felling of forests and trees increased.
Trees were being cut since 11 years ago under the Modi regime.
The Modi government had given 2211 hectares of forest land to industries in three districts. In which land was given to 17 industrialists including Essar, Adani, Hutch Faisal Limited, Vodafone-Essar. Which was given by giving only 116 crore rupees. In the assembly, 21 MLAs surrounded the Modi government on this issue.
In Kutch, Adani Group grabbed 2008.41 hectares of forest land through Munda Port and Special Economic Zone. Gautam Adani had to build new forests for 12 crores. And the Modi government took 100 crores and gave the land.
Gujarat Power was given 130 hectares of land in Kutch district. For which Rs 13 crore was given by the industries.
Essar Steel was given 34 hectares of land in Surat. In which 3 crore 43 lakh were taken.
Tata Telecom was given 0.065 hectares of land in Surat.
In Kutch, Vodafone acquired 10 hectares of land from Essar.
Essar SEZ Limited was given 4.9324 hectares of land in Surat.
1.86% increase in forests
The forest cover (forest area) has increased by 1.86% in the last 10 years in the state. In 2013 14,653 Sq. km, the forest area has increased by 273 sq km to 14,926 sq km in 2021. Which was 14660 in 2015, 14757 in 2017 and 14857 in 2019.
Status of tree cover in Gujarat in 20 years
year sq km percentage
2021 5489 2.8
2019 6912 3.52
2017 8024 4.09
2015 7914 4.03
2013 8358 4.26
2011 7837 3.99
2009 8390 4.28
2005 7621 3.89
2003 10586 5.4
Amidst the claims of Green Gujarat, the forest land passed into some powerful hands. In the country, 13.35 lakh hectares of forest land had gone into the hands of miscreants. In which the nobles grabbed 292.38 hectares of forest land in Gujarat.
Gujarat has nine regions of 21870.36 square kilometers. 11.14 percent of the total geographical area of the state.
In which there are reserved forests in an area of 14372 square kilometers. The protected forests cover an area of 2886 square kilometres. There are 23 wildlife sanctuaries, four national parks and one protected reserve covering 8.83 per cent of the total geographical area of the state.
There are contradictions in the data provided by the Union Ministry. The government does not have the exact figure of how much forest land has been encroached upon. It is difficult to tell its exact figure. In the past, fines have been imposed by the National Green Tribunal on entities or companies encroaching on forest land.
mittal land dispute
The land allotment dispute to ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel may have been going on for a long time, but the government is not ready to listen to the people.
The handing over of forest land to ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel will result in the extinction of wildlife and leopards in the forest. In November-2020, a leopard was seen in Hazira township of ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel. The incident is a wake-up call to the Forest Department and the Government of Gujarat, which has been allotting valuable forest land to polluting industries in Gujarat.
Not used as per rules. It was given to private companies without following the legal process. 86.5 hectares of land has been acquired for setting up the power plant, which is currently being used as a dump yard for dumping waste.
Was going which was largely illegal. The Forest Department has also not allotted land for compensatory afforestation in lieu of land. For this reason also the allotted land is liable to be cancelled.
Opening hundred has not been asked. They were done blindfolded.
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel has agreed to give 110 hectares of bean-forest land, five times the land allotted to it in Bhavnagar district. This land is also part of the Lion Corridor area. In November 2020, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel wrote to the Gujarat government seeking 115 acres of forest land around the Hazira plant.
Hazira Steel Plant Rs. 35,000 crores. The iron plant’s production capacity was increased from 8.5 million tonnes per annum to 14 million tonnes per annum. Which will now be increased to 18 million tonnes annually.
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel is a 60:40 joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Japan-based Nippon Steel Corporation. which now owns the integrated steel arm of the erstwhile Essar Steel. By undergoing insolvency proceedings some time back with working capital of Rs. 42,785 crore by paying a further Rs. 8,000 crore was bought.
