Staff Reporter
Guwahati: It is a matter of significant concern that a total of 327.12 sq km of forest and tree cover has been lost in the eight NE states in just two years. More surprising is the fact that 15,926.77 hectares of forest land have been approved for non-forestry purposes in the NE states over the past five years, including 780.36 hectares in Assam.
Significantly, among the eight NE states, Arunachal Pradesh has seen the highest approval of forest land for non-forestry purposes, with 10,110 hectares diverted in the period from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2026, under the Van (Sankrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam 1980. As a matter of fact, this is the third highest diversion of forest land for non-forestry use in the country.
Incidentally, the recent floods in Dhemaji’s Jonai were attributed to the loss of forest and tree cover in Arunachal Pradesh, as excess water had rushed downstream through different rivers after heavy rainfall struck the Himalayan state. At that time, various organisations had flagged the rampant cutting down of trees in the neighbouring state before the Inter-ministerial Central Team that had visited Assam to assess the flood damage.
Except for the two states of Mizoram and Sikkim, the six other states of NE have witnessed a considerable reduction in forest and tree cover. However, the diversion of forest land for non-forestry use was approved for all eight NE states under the Adhiniyam 1980.
In the five-year period between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2026, the diversion of forest land in different NE states is as follows: Arunachal Pradesh 10,110 hectares, Assam 780.36 hectares, Manipur 2196.51 hectares, Meghalaya 89.83 hectares, Mizoram 994.62 hectares, Nagaland 3.93 hectares, Sikkim 991.51 hectares and Tripura 760.55 hectares. Incidentally, in the past five years, the highest approval of forest land for non-forestry purposes in Arunachal was given in the last financial year of 2025-26, with 3548.53 hectares approved.
In Assam, the approval of forest land for non-forestry purposes was granted as such in the past five years – 133.43 hectares in 2021-22; 45.42 hectares in 2022-23; 363 hectares in 2023-24; 180.40 hectares in 2024-25; and 58.12 in 2025-26. The highest diversion of forest land in Assam was in 2023-24, with 363 hectares approved for non-forestry use.
As per provisions of the Van (Sankrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam 1980, the user agency concerned has to apply to the central government for use of forest land for non-forestry purposes, if required. The application by the user agency must get a nod from the state government concerned.
Such loss of forest and tree cover, combined with diversion of forest land for non-forestry use, poses an important question about the impact on the environment, and studies are necessitated to resolve the question. Already, the recent floods in Upper Assam and Dhemaji, which came like a tsunami for the affected people, prove that such depredation of forest and tree cover has devastating consequences, as excess water runs off unchecked from upstream areas of neighbouring states into the plains of Assam.
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