The Union government has disclosed that a significant portion of Goa's forest cover has been cleared for development projects. According to official data, the state diverted 183 hectares of forest area for non-forest purposes between April 2021 and October 2025.
Details of the Forest Land Diversion
In a reply presented in the Rajya Sabha, Junior Environment Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that the land was approved for 34 different projects. These initiatives span critical infrastructure sectors and include the construction of an airport, road widening works, power substations, power transmission lines, and railway double tracking.
Specific projects highlighted include the diversion of 15.6 hectares of forest for the Kulem-Madgaon railway track doubling in recent years. Furthermore, Goa has proposed expanding 53 meters of the Goa-Belagavi highway, a plan that involves felling approximately 7,774 trees. This highway expansion is particularly contentious as it passes through the ecologically sensitive zone of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary.
Compensatory Afforestation Efforts
As per the provisions of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act of 2016, states must undertake afforestation to offset the loss of forest land. The minister's reply outlined Goa's efforts in this regard. Over the last five years, the state carried out compensatory afforestation on 1,209 hectares against a set target of 1,330 hectares.
"Monitoring of plantations raised under compensatory afforestation is carried out as per the procedures laid down in the CAF Act, 2016, and rules made thereunder by Campa, ensuring transparency, accountability, and effective oversight," Minister Singh said. The National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (Campa) approves the targets and funds for such activities.
Goa's National Standing in Forest Diversion
The scale of forest diversion in Goa becomes stark when compared to its size. A 2021 report by the Delhi-based Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE) provided critical context. It showed that Goa, India's smallest state with an area of just 3,702 square kilometers, had diverted nearly 150 hectares of forest land at that time.
This placed Goa as the third highest in the country for forest land diversion, only behind Arunachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Notably, these two states are 23 and 66 times larger than Goa, respectively. The same report also identified Goa as being among the top 10 states in India when it comes to diverting forest land for linear projects like roads, railways, and power lines.
The data underscores the ongoing tension between pressing developmental needs and critical environmental conservation, especially in a biodiverse and geographically small state like Goa.
