Hindustan Times: Mumbai: Monday, 10 November 2025.
Data obtained through Right to Information (RTI) application reveals that between January 1, 2019, and June 30, 2025, the state notified 1,21,198 hectares of forest as the preliminary step toward declaring a reserved forest, of which only 65,611 hectares have been protected legally
More than half of
Maharashtra’s notified forest land is yet to receive full legal protection as
reserved forests, exposing serious lapses in the state’s forest conservation
system, even as satellite data confirms continued tree loss, according to
official records.
Data obtained through an Right to Information (RTI) application filed with the office of the principal chief conservator of forests (HoFF) reveals that between January 1, 2019, and June 30, 2025, the state notified 1,21,198 hectares of forest under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act (IFA), 1927 the preliminary step toward declaring a reserved forest.
However, only 65,611 hectares have been finally declared under Section 20 of the Act, which grants full legal protection, leaving 46% of the notified land in procedural limbo.
The implementation gap varies widely across forest circles. Dhule, in northwestern Maharashtra, has not declared a single hectare since 2020. Pune notified only 18 hectares in 2024–25 and none in the first half of 2025. Yavatmal and Amravati too show large backlogs, with only 253 and 26 hectares notified respectively.
Officials admit that the two-step process under the IFA from Section 4 notification (recording local claims) to Section 20 declaration (final protection) often stretches over years.
“The data reveals a governance failure,” said Jeetendra Ghadge of The Young Whistleblowers Foundation, who obtained the information through RTI. “On one hand, lakhs of hectares remain stuck between notification and final protection. On the other, satellite evidence shows continuous deforestation and forest fires. Maharashtra faces two alarming realities, bureaucratic delay and on-ground destruction,” he said.
Steady loss of forest cover
Independent data from Global Forest Watch (GFW) shows Maharashtra lost 22,400 hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2024, resulting in 10.8 million tonnes of CO2 emission. The state also lost 882 hectares of humid primary forest among the most biodiverse and irreplaceable ecosystems.
Forest fires are emerging as a major cause of destruction. Between 2001 and 2024, about 670 hectares of forest were lost to wildfires. In 2025 alone, Maharashtra recorded 1,358 fire alerts, mostly during the February–April dry season. Over the past four years, the state has logged more than 52,000 fire alerts.
“Maharashtra’s forests are not just carbon sinks but also natural defences against floods, heatwaves, and pollution,” said Rajesh Ruparel, an environmentalist. “Every year of delay in granting protection leaves these natural assets more vulnerable to degradation.”
Call for accountability and action
Environmentalists have urged the government to establish a dedicated monitoring system to track pending Section 4 and Section 20 notifications and to coordinate better with district revenue departments. Many also advocate strengthening Community Forest Rights (CFRs) under the Forest Rights Act to empower local communities in conservation efforts.
“The department seems completely disconnected from its primary duty of protecting forests,” said Stalin Dayanand, environmentalist and director of Vanashakti. “Several mangrove areas have already been handed over to the department, yet the notification process is still pending. This delay only shows how little intent there is to secure these ecosystems legally.”
Procedural bottlenecks
Virendra Tiwari, former principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) of Maharashtra, said delays often arise because some claims are found valid during verification. “There are hundreds of notifications across talukas. In some cases, claimants submit valid documents showing that the land was allotted to them, and these need to be verified through the revenue department’s enquiry process. That’s one reason for the delay,” he said, adding that while the process ideally takes around 10–11 months, in some cases, it has stretched to several years.
A senior forest official in the department, requesting anonymity, said the process is further delayed because it depends on the forest settlement officer (FSO), who is responsible for verifying and settling all rights on the land before notification.
“The FSO has to examine every claim, whether they claim it is their land or any other entitlement under the revenue department, and extinguish them where necessary. But in many places, there are no FSOs appointed at all, which adds to the backlog. We are trying to fast-track the process,” the official said.
Experts said that the loss of forest cover and delayed legal protection weaken Maharashtra’s ability to withstand climate shocks. Forests and mangroves in Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad act as flood buffers and carbon sinks, while the Western Ghats provide critical catchment protection.
Data obtained through Right to Information (RTI) application reveals that between January 1, 2019, and June 30, 2025, the state notified 1,21,198 hectares of forest as the preliminary step toward declaring a reserved forest, of which only 65,611 hectares have been protected legally
 |
| Independent data from Global Forest Watch (GFW) shows Maharashtra lost 22,400 hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2024, resulting in 10.8 million tonnes of CO2 emission. (Hindustan Times) |
Data obtained through an Right to Information (RTI) application filed with the office of the principal chief conservator of forests (HoFF) reveals that between January 1, 2019, and June 30, 2025, the state notified 1,21,198 hectares of forest under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act (IFA), 1927 the preliminary step toward declaring a reserved forest.
However, only 65,611 hectares have been finally declared under Section 20 of the Act, which grants full legal protection, leaving 46% of the notified land in procedural limbo.
The implementation gap varies widely across forest circles. Dhule, in northwestern Maharashtra, has not declared a single hectare since 2020. Pune notified only 18 hectares in 2024–25 and none in the first half of 2025. Yavatmal and Amravati too show large backlogs, with only 253 and 26 hectares notified respectively.
Officials admit that the two-step process under the IFA from Section 4 notification (recording local claims) to Section 20 declaration (final protection) often stretches over years.
“The data reveals a governance failure,” said Jeetendra Ghadge of The Young Whistleblowers Foundation, who obtained the information through RTI. “On one hand, lakhs of hectares remain stuck between notification and final protection. On the other, satellite evidence shows continuous deforestation and forest fires. Maharashtra faces two alarming realities, bureaucratic delay and on-ground destruction,” he said.
Steady loss of forest cover
Independent data from Global Forest Watch (GFW) shows Maharashtra lost 22,400 hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2024, resulting in 10.8 million tonnes of CO2 emission. The state also lost 882 hectares of humid primary forest among the most biodiverse and irreplaceable ecosystems.
Forest fires are emerging as a major cause of destruction. Between 2001 and 2024, about 670 hectares of forest were lost to wildfires. In 2025 alone, Maharashtra recorded 1,358 fire alerts, mostly during the February–April dry season. Over the past four years, the state has logged more than 52,000 fire alerts.
“Maharashtra’s forests are not just carbon sinks but also natural defences against floods, heatwaves, and pollution,” said Rajesh Ruparel, an environmentalist. “Every year of delay in granting protection leaves these natural assets more vulnerable to degradation.”
Call for accountability and action
Environmentalists have urged the government to establish a dedicated monitoring system to track pending Section 4 and Section 20 notifications and to coordinate better with district revenue departments. Many also advocate strengthening Community Forest Rights (CFRs) under the Forest Rights Act to empower local communities in conservation efforts.
“The department seems completely disconnected from its primary duty of protecting forests,” said Stalin Dayanand, environmentalist and director of Vanashakti. “Several mangrove areas have already been handed over to the department, yet the notification process is still pending. This delay only shows how little intent there is to secure these ecosystems legally.”
Procedural bottlenecks
Virendra Tiwari, former principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) of Maharashtra, said delays often arise because some claims are found valid during verification. “There are hundreds of notifications across talukas. In some cases, claimants submit valid documents showing that the land was allotted to them, and these need to be verified through the revenue department’s enquiry process. That’s one reason for the delay,” he said, adding that while the process ideally takes around 10–11 months, in some cases, it has stretched to several years.
A senior forest official in the department, requesting anonymity, said the process is further delayed because it depends on the forest settlement officer (FSO), who is responsible for verifying and settling all rights on the land before notification.
“The FSO has to examine every claim, whether they claim it is their land or any other entitlement under the revenue department, and extinguish them where necessary. But in many places, there are no FSOs appointed at all, which adds to the backlog. We are trying to fast-track the process,” the official said.
Experts said that the loss of forest cover and delayed legal protection weaken Maharashtra’s ability to withstand climate shocks. Forests and mangroves in Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad act as flood buffers and carbon sinks, while the Western Ghats provide critical catchment protection.
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