Roads Over Roots

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Kashmir’s forests are paying a growing price for development, and the government must explain who is responsible. 

Roads, power projects and other infrastructure may serve public needs, but their construction cannot come at the cost of unchecked forest destruction. 

The latest figures on tree felling, forest diversion and unpaid environmental levies point to a serious failure of accountability. 

The problem is no longer simply the loss of trees. It is the failure of government agencies to honour the obligations that come with using public land.

A February 2026 investigation, based on a government report submitted to the National Green Tribunal, found that 82,511 trees had been felled for infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir since 2019. Government agencies also owed more than Rs 49 crore in statutory environmental levies. 

The outstanding payments formed part of an estimated liability of Rs 84.82 crore linked to 154 projects. 

The administration cited the transition following Jammu and Kashmir’s reorganisation and disruptions caused by the pandemic to explain the delays. Such explanations do little to justify years of unpaid dues.

The policy that allowed government projects to proceed without prior payment of mandatory environmental levies raises an even bigger concern. 

Public agencies were allowed to use forest land while postponing payments meant to fund ecological restoration. The administration has since reversed the policy and returned 23 fresh project proposals because of pending payments. 

That is a welcome correction, but it also raises questions about why the arrangement continued for so long and who approved it.

Meanwhile, the pressure on forests continues. 

Data presented in Parliament in July 2026 show that 1,178.58 hectares of forest land in Jammu and Kashmir were approved for non-forestry use between April 2021 and March 2026. Annual diversion rose from 126.65 hectares in 2023-24 to 310.39 hectares in 2025-26. 

These figures call for a closer look at the projects approved and the steps taken to protect the forests.

Encroachment further adds to the problem. The government informed the Legislative Assembly in March 2026 that more than 21 lakh kanals of state and forest land were under illegal occupation in Jammu and Kashmir. Nearly 29,000 kanals had been retrieved since October 2024. 

These figures point to the scale of the enforcement challenge and the need for regular public reporting on action against illegal occupation.

The government should publish a project-wise record of forest diversion, tree felling, unpaid levies and compensatory plantations. Independent audits should establish whether planted trees survive and whether agencies fulfil their environmental obligations. Departments and contractors responsible for violations should face financial and administrative penalties.

Kashmir needs better roads, reliable electricity and public infrastructure. It also needs forests that protect water sources, mountain slopes and wildlife. 

Development cannot become a licence for public agencies to ignore environmental laws. Those who approve forest diversion must also answer for the damage it causes.

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