A total of 554.3 square kilometres of forest area in the country has been diverted for non-forestry purposes in the last three years, government data presented in Lok Sabha showed.
Mining accounted for the diversion of the maximum, 112.78 sq km, of forest land, it revealed
The government okayed the diversion of 100.07 sq km of forest land for road construction and 97.27 sq km for irrigation facilities, according to data presented to the House by Union Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Monday.
The Centre approved the diversion of 69.47 sq km of forest land for defence projects, 53.44 sq km for hydel projects, 47.40 sq km for laying of transmission lines and 18.99 sq km for railways in the last three years.