Over 99,000 ha forest land diverted for projects in last five years: Govt
New Delhi (PTI): India has diverted more than 99,000 hectares of forest land for non-forestry purposes since 2020, with roads, mining, hydroelectric, and irrigation projects accounting for the largest share, according to official data shared in Parliament on Thursday.
Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that 22,233 ha were diverted for road projects alone between 2020-21 and 2024-25, followed by 18,914 ha for mining and quarrying, and 17,434 ha for hydel and irrigation works.
Power transmission lines required 13,859 ha, while railway projects saw the diversion of 5,957 ha.
Other major categories include forest village conversion (1,362 ha), drinking water projects (1,281 ha), rehabilitation works (1,508 ha), canals (80 ha), defence projects (6,042 ha), optical fibre cable (391 ha), industries (150 ha), and new petrol pumps (1,927 ha).
Smaller diversions were recorded for solar and wind power, schools, hospitals and communication posts.
Data shows a sharp rise in certain categories in 2024-25, including drinking water schemes (376 ha), petrol pumps (42 ha), and power transmission lines (3,820 ha). The re-diversion/land use change category also saw 180 new cases that year.
The ministry said that a total of 3,826 road projects received forest clearance since 2020, the highest across all sectors.
Pipelines (756), drinking water projects (676), optical fibre cable (524), hydel/irrigation (194), mining/quarrying (190) and railway projects (182) formed the next major categories.
Among smaller but notable categories were defence (116 clearances), industry (41), village electricity (31), school and educational institutions (37), and non-conventional energy (7). Solar and wind power projects received only eight and one clearances respectively over the five-year period.
The reply did not provide details of people affected by forest diversion or clearances.
The minister said such information is handled through the land acquisition law and reviewed during environmental clearance processes.
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1,850 missing mobile phones recovered as Delhi Police focusses on victim-centric policing
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has recovered 1,850 stolen and lost mobile phones worth around Rs 4 crore in past 40 days under "Mission Reconnect", an initiative aimed at returning phones to their rightful owners in outernorth Delhi, an official said on Saturday.
The recovered phones were traced from different parts of the country, including remote areas, through technical surveillance and sustained field operations, police said, adding that the devices were handed over to their owners during a programme at the Sports Ground, New Police Lines, Kingsway Camp.
The initiative focused on a victim-centric approach and aimed at strengthening public trust through proactive policing and coordinated efforts across states, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outernorth) Hareshwar Swami said.
As part of the programme, teams performed 'nukkad nataks' and screened awareness videos on cybercrime, drug abuse prevention, and senior citizen safety, sensitising the public about digital frauds and safety measures, officials said.
The initiative combines technology, investigation and community participation to ensure recovery of lost property and reconnect citizens with their valuables, they added.
