1,313 hectares of forest land in Gujarat diverted for other purposes: Congress

Ahmedabad: On the eve of World Environment Day, the state unit of the Congress party said that 1,313.39 hectares of forest land in the state has been diverted for other purposes and a several positions in the state forest and environment department are vacant.

State Congress spokesperson Parthivrajsinh Kathavadia said, “According to a report of Global Forest Watch, the tree cover in Gujarat has decreased by 100 hectares. The state govt is not showing adequate urgency in safeguarding the environment,” he alleged.

Quoting the Gujarat Forest Statistics 2024/2025 report by the state govt, Kathavadia claimed that 1,313.39 hectares of forest land were diverted for other uses in 2024/2025. “Of this, 854.63 hectares were used for roads and transmission lines, while 421.31 hectares were allocated for industries and townships. Additionally, 15.63 hectares of forest land were given for irrigation purposes,” he said. He added that out of 8,949 positions in the forest department, 3,490 remain vacant.