Udaipur, February 19: Rajasthan MLA Shri Vishwaraj Singh Mewad raised a crucial issue regarding the protection of forest land during urban expansion in the state assembly through a special mention proposal (No. 295).
In his statement, Mewad highlighted the alarming incidents of unplanned expansion and encroachment on forest department lands, green belts, scrubland, and wetland declared areas in several cities across the state. He pointed out that in some locations, people have been residing or conducting business for decades, raising concerns about administrative negligence, policy ambiguity, or possible collusion.
Citing examples from Nathdwara and Udaipur, he expressed serious concerns over construction and expansion activities around declared forest and wetland areas. The expansion of cities beyond the master plan is affecting both forest areas and the interests of the general public.
Mewad urged the government to:
• Conduct a comprehensive review of forest department lands in urban areas.
• Hand over vacant government land adjacent to forest areas to the forest department to preserve green spaces.
• Differentiate between those affected by administrative errors and those benefiting from errors and collusion.
• If necessary, propose to the central government to formulate a balanced policy between forest and urban development.
He emphasized that development and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive, but rather can be coordinated through a balanced approach. Transparency, clear policies, and accountability are essential to curb corruption and ensure balanced expansion of cities and forest areas.