Jammu and Kashmir recorded 1,243 forest fire incidents in the 2024-25 financial year, a significant rise compared to the previous fiscal but closely mirroring the figures from 2022-23, Forest Minister Javed Ahmad Rana informed the Legislative Assembly.
Responding to an unstarred question by BJP legislator Balwant Singh Mankotia on Saturday, Rana clarified that while the number of incidents had surged, most were ground fires, affecting grass and bushes rather than tall trees.
Providing a comparative analysis, the minister stated that 1,553 forest fire incidents were reported in 2022-23, covering an area of 2,774.213 hectares. The following year, 2023-24, saw a sharp decline, with only 607 incidents affecting 987.24 hectares.
However, in the current financial year, up to March 19, the number of reported forest fires had risen again to 1,243, impacting a total of 3,503.70 hectares.
Rana emphasised that forest fire prevention and mitigation remain a top priority for the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department. Several measures have been implemented, including the formation of a state-level monitoring committee to oversee fire prevention efforts and assess progress.
He also highlighted the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Policy of 2011, which focuses on ecological restoration and mitigating the effects of climate change. Additionally, the Forest Department has developed a 20-year State Action Plan on Forest Fire (SAPFF) to address the issue comprehensively.
The minister further stated that financial resources are being allocated for forest fire prevention under the centrally sponsored scheme CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) and the Union Territory’s forest fire prevention and management programmes.
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Addressing forest clearances for developmental projects, Rana noted that before the implementation of the PARIVESH portal, forest clearances were granted for 1,690 cases under the Jammu and Kashmir Forest (Conservation) Act, 1997, which was applicable before the reorganisation of the erstwhile state.
However, since the introduction of the PARIVESH portal by the central government in August 2019, 2,743 proposals have been uploaded for forest clearance as of March 20, 2025, under the provisions of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980.
Providing further details, he stated that stage-II approval had been granted to 522 cases involving 636.337 hectares of forest land, while stage-I approval was given to 1,151 cases covering 1,453.118 hectares. Meanwhile, 1,070 proposals remain under consideration at various levels.
Highlighting afforestation efforts to combat deforestation, Rana revealed that 1.17 crore saplings had been planted or distributed in the current financial year, compared to 1.63 crore saplings in the previous year.
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