Question raised in Lok Sabha on Pending Projects Due to Environment Clearances, 11/08/2016. As informed by Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), being the nodal Ministry for according environment clearance, fifteen Hydroelectric Projects and ten Thermal Power Projects are pending for Environmental Clearance as on 5.8.2016 as per details given in Annex-I & II respectively.

Question raised in Lok Sabha Hydro Power Plants, 11/08/2016. Nine Hydro Electric Projects, with a total capacity of 2357 MW, were commissioned during the last two years, and the current year (till 31.07.2016) in various states of the country. Out of these 9 projects (2357 MW), three projects were partially commissioned during this period and the details thereof are given at Annex-I. Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of 15 Hydro Electric schemes with a total Installed Capacity of 8,457 MW have been received by various appraising Groups in CEA/CWC/GSI/CSMRS as on 30.6.2016 for examination.

Question raised in Lok Sabha Electrification of Villages, 11/08/2016. As per census 2011, there were 16,78,26,730 rural households in the country. Out of which 9,28,08,038 households were having electricity and remaining 7,50,18,692 households were un-electrified. State-wise details of rural and urban area households are given at Annexure. Since 2012-13, free electricity connections to 53,26,016 Below Poverty Line ( BPL) households have been released as on 30.06.2016.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Polluted River Stretches, 09/08/2016. As per the report published by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in February 2015, 302 polluted river stretches have been identified on 275 rivers in the country based on Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels, a key indicator of organic pollution. The State-wise details are at Annexure-I. The details of funds released to various State Governments for implementation of pollution abatement schemes during the last three years under the NRCP/NGRBA, State-wise are at Annexure-II.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Pending Projects, 09/08/2016. A list of 17 projects for Environment Clearance (EC) and 2 projects for Forest Clearance (FC) from North Eastern States, including Arunachal Pradesh, pending in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is annexed.

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 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 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 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.