Bhubaneswar: More than 26 lakh trees have been felled for projects in Odisha between 2000 and 2023, informed Forest Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia in the Legislative Assembly today while replying to a question by MLA Prasanta Kumar Jagadev.

A total of 26,75,191 trees have been cleared from forest land between 2000 and 2023 for the execution of 482 projects, the minister said.

As many as 9,64,063 trees were felled for mining activities, 5,99,690 trees for roads, 4,89,423 trees for irrigation, 82,076 trees for railway lines, 1,39,439 trees for power supply, 3,00,759 trees for industries, and 99,741 trees for other purposes, the minister added.