India’s forest cover increasing — report

"Though the forest cover is 19.4 per cent of the geographical area of our country, it is really heartening to note that the overall decline in the forest cover has been halted," Environment Minister T R Baalu said releasing the report, which was based on interpretation of satellite data for the period 1996-98 and covered different states and districts of the country.

However, paucity of funds was a major constraint facing the afforestation programmes, Baalu said noting an allocation to the order of Rs. 6,695 crore per annum was required in order to achieve one-third forest cover within the next 20 years.

However, a mere 1,600 crore per annum was available, putting both central and state kitty together, he said, adding that his ministry was approaching various NGOs, corporates, public and private sector to fund this sector.

Baalu would also be meeting the Director General of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to request a meeting of donor organisations in this connection.

The dynamics of change in forest cover revealed that dense forest has increased by 10,098 sq km and mangrove by 44 sq km. However, the area under open forest has decreased by 6,246 sq km, Mr Balu said.

Seventeen states of the country have registered increase in forest land while 12 have lost cover in varying degrees.

Major gains in greening the country have been made by Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, he said adding Mizoram, Assam, Nagaland and Bihar however lost forest cover. The loss was highest in case of Mizoram followed by Assam, Nagaland and Bihar.

However, the loss of forest cover in the entire North-eastern has shown a declining trend, he said.

The report revealed that 1.73 million hectares were affected by shifting cultivation during the period 1987-97. Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram accounted for 65 per cent of the total area under shifting cultivation.

Shifting cultivation, the Minister pointed out, together with encroachments and tree-felling without regeneration was mainly responsible for declining forest cover.

On the other hand, large block plantations, practice of joint forest management, protection and natural regeneration were contributing to expand the forest cover.