Bhubaneswar: Odisha has recorded the highest approval of forest land for nonforestry purposes (mining projects) in the last five years, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav told the Lok Sabha. Responding to a query of Rajkumar Roat in the Lower House Monday, Yadav said Odisha has seen the approval of 48 proposals (7680.78 ha) for the use of forest land for the non-forestry purpose under Van (Sanrakhan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam Act, 1980 between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2024.
Odisha was followed by Tripura (31 proposals), Madhya Pradesh (21 proposals) and Jharkhand with 16 proposals. Altogether 18,922.98 hectare of forest land have been diverted to non-forestry purposes in the last five years, the minister said.