Posing a serious threat to the untouched virgin forest cover in Maharashtra, massive tree felling has been reported throughout the State in last five years. According to a Right To Information (RTI) report provided by the Forest Department to RTI activist Abhay Kolarkar, Maharashtra witnessed a whopping 3.46 lakh trees felled illegally in forest areas in which 1.28 lakh are teak trees between 2021 and 2025. Due to illegal tree felling in forest lands in the last five years, the State Government bear a total loss of Rs 31.22 crores in which Rs 22.57 crores itself happened due to illegal felling of teak trees in the State, claimed the report. In 2021, when Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak, the State witnessed highest 81,086 illegal tree felling in five years in which 31,310 were teak trees. During that year, the State incurred a loss of Rs 6.80 crore in which Rs 4.88 crore loss happened due to teak tree felling.

 

The RTI reply also provided illegal tree felling data of the first three months (January to March) 2026 as well. In these three months, the State reported 17,114 illegal tree felling in which 5,774 are teak trees. In these three months, the State incurred a loss of Rs 1.62 crore, including Rs 1.09 crore, due to felling of teak trees. Out of these 17,114 felled trees in the State, highest tree felling has been reported in Gadchiroli district with 3,372 trees felled. Thane district is second in the list with 2,756 trees felled followed by Nagpur district with 2,647 trees. The RTI reply also shared the data of permission given by the Forest Department for tree felling in last five years in the State. As per the data, department gave 45,803 tree felling permissions in five years for 47.14 lakh trees in which 33.63 lakh were teak trees. Similarly, in three months of 2026, department allowed 8.38 lakh trees by permitting 6,336 proposals. Among these 8.38 lakh trees, 3.05 lakh were teak trees.

 

Despite huge number of tree felling proposals accepted by the state government in last five years, large tracts of forest land continue to face clearance and diversion requests for major public works, mining, and highway projects, triggering intense debates between developmental needs and ecological preservation. India State of Forest Report highlighted a continuous decrease in green cover, noting a decline of 54.5 square kilometres in Maharashtra’s forest cover over recent assessment cycles. Government of Maharashtra previously proposed a 50-time hike in penalties for illegal tree felling -- raising fines from Rs 1,000 to Rs 50,000 -- under an amendment to the Maharashtra Felling of Trees (Regulation) Act of 1964. However, the State withdrew this amended bill in July 2025 following widespread criticism from environmentalists and legislators.