Maharashtra Forest Deptt takes up survey, demarcation of forest boundaries

* This also includes survey and defining of boundary of 213.76 kms of private acquired forest
By Kartik Lokhande 
Encroachments and legal disputes have prompted Forest Department to take up the exercise of survey, demarcation, and verification of physical boundaries of forest areas in Maharashtra. For the current financial year, Revenue and Forests Department has also released grant for the purpose.
Already, till the year 2013-14, reconciliation of forest area in Maharashtra has been done. There are three main Public Forestry Institutions in Maharashtra -- State Forest Department, Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM), and Directorate of Social Forestry (SFD). State Forest Department is entrusted with the role of conservation and development of the State’s forests spread over about 20 per cent of its geographical area.
As per the latest Government Resolution (GR) issued by Virendra Tiwari, Chief Conservator of Forests (Mantralaya), Revenue and Forests Department, it is found necessary to conduct survey of and demarcate forest boundaries. As the survey and defining the boundaries has not been completed in cases of protected forests and unclassed forest, the exercise has been taken up. At some places, the boundary of reserved forests also is not defined properly.
The exercise of survey and proper demarcation, with installing physical markings to indicate boundaries, has been taken up considering the possibility of encroachment on forest land. Once there is encroachment upon forest land, it is very difficult for Forest Department authorities to evict the encroachers. There are legal disputes also. Against this backdrop, Forest Department feels that once survey is conducted and boundary markings are physically installed, management and protection of forests will become easier.
According to Forest Department sources, reconciliation of forest areas has been done in 2013-14. As per the reconciliation done in 2013-14, the total area with Forest Department as a whole is 60,121.15 sq kms. Of this, a total of 48,583.46 sq kms is with State Forest Department, and 3,590.20 sq kms is with FDCM. Wildlife Wing has 7,947.50 sq kms of forest area. Of a total forest area with the department as a whole, maximum 48,814.70 sq kms is categorised as reserve forest. The forest area in other categories is as follows: acquired reserve forest (private forest)-- 1,162.39 sq kms, protected forest-- 6,689.01 sq kms, remaining area not included in reserve/protected forest-- 3,455.05 sq kms.
For the current financial year 2014-15, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) had sought Rs 25 lakh from Revenue and Forests Department for the purpose of survey and demarcation. Of this, an amount of Rs 17.50 lakh was budgeted. Accordingly, on July 1, 2014, Rs 10.50 lakh was released. Recently, further amount of Rs 4.50 lakh was released.
There is also acquired private forest area in the State. Under the Maharashtra Private Forests (Acquisition) Act, 1975, private forest has been acquired. However, this acquired forest has not been demarcated properly. For 2014-15, PCCF (Head of Forest Force) had sought Rs 26.75 lakh for survey and defining boundary of 213.76 kms of private forest acquired. Of the said amount, Rs 18.72 lakh was budgeted, and Rs 11.23 lakh was released last year. Now, Rs 4.82 lakh has been released.

Territorial Circle-wise forest area

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Circle             State Forest Deptt               FDCM                    Wildlife Wing

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Nagpur              5,020.17 sq kms              737.33 sq kms          1,415.98 sq kms

Amravati           2,518 sq kms                        Nil                        2,140.44 sq kms

Chandrapur       2,736.39 sq kms              881.01 sq kms          1,194.92 sq kms

Gadchiroli         11,876.97 sq kms            518.23 sq kms             419.89 sq kms

Yavatmal            2,969.48 sq kms             256.74 sq kms             590.97 sq kms

Aurangabad       2,711.26 sq kms             173.63 sq kms             206.61 sq kms

Dhule                 5,897.84 sq kms             158.93 sq kms             319.06 sq kms

Kolhapur            3,758.64 sq kms                   Nil                         718.32 sq kms

Nashik               4,380.82 sq kms             420.75 sq kms             185.19 sq kms

Pune                   2,114.20 sq kms                   Nil                          110.67 sq kms

Thane                 4,599.69 sq kms            443.58 sq kms              645.46 sq kms

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Total State         48,583.46 sq kms         3,590.20 sq kms           7,947.50 sq kms

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[Data for 2013-14, signed by Addl PCCF (Land Record) and Addl PCCF (Conservation)] 

(Filed on February 7, 2015)