Question raised in Lok Sabha on Mines in Forest Area, 09/08/2016. Details of Mining projects for different minerals approved for diversion of forest land from 1980 to July, 2016 in the country is at Annexure –I. The production /extraction of metals from the mines damages dense forest. In lieu of forest diverted, the user agency give equal non-forest area and get it mutated in favour of forest department prior to commencement of mining in forest land. The area is planted under compensatory afforestation scheme at the cost of user agency.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Implementation of INDCs, 09/08/2016. India, in its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), has committed to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 level.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Green India Mission, 09/08/2016. The National Mission for a Green India (GIM) is currently being implemented in nine States namely Uttarakhand, Punjab, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Mizoram, Manipur and Kerala.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Forest Cover, 09/08/2016. Forest Survey of India, Dehradun is carrying out the assessment of forest cover of the country biennially and the findings are published in India State of Forest Report. The latest report in the series is India State of Forest Report 2015. As per this report, the total forest cover of the country is 7, 01,673 square kilometers which is 21.34% of the total geographical area of the country. The detailed list showing forest cover and change in forest cover States/UTs wise is given in Annexure I.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Endangered Species, 09/08/2016.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Ecological Impact of Mining, 09/08/2016. The forest land diverted has not caused ecological imbalance. Since the enactment of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. the forest land diverted for non-forest use including mining purposes is on average approximately 25,000 Ha per year. The forest alnd diverted from October 1980 to date, State/UT-wise including Karnataka is given in Annexure -I. Non forestry activities including mining invariably have an impact on the environment and ecological balance.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Deaths Due to Climate Change, 09/08/2016. World Health Organization has published a book titled “Quantitative risk assessment of the effects of climate change on selected causes of death, 2030s and 2050s”, in year 2014.

The Rajya Sabha passed a bill seeking to provide better healthcare for people suffering from mental illnesses as members across the political spectrum sought urgent steps to address the lack of infrastructure and shortage of psychiatrists in the country.

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Schemes for increasing forest resources, 08/08/2016. Forest cover of the country is assessed biennially and published as India State of Forest Report (ISFR) by Forest Survey of India, Dehradun (FSI), an organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. As per latest ISFR, 2015 there is overall increase of 3775 sq. km of forest cover in the country, as compared to ISFR 2013. Some States have shown decline in forest cover whereas some States have shown increase in forest cover.

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Pollution effect of thermal power plants, 08/08/2016. The contribution of thermal generation in the year 2015-16 was 80.4% of total generation from all sources (including renewable). The State-wise details of annual generation from thermal power plants in the country is at Annex-I.

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