The Bihar government has set a target of increasing forest cover at 15 per cent by 2017 in the state, Forest and Environment minister P K Shahi said today.
"We have set the forest cover target at 15 per cent by 2017 by launching an extensive afforestation drive to meet the target of 20 per cent forest cover for plain states under the National Forest Policy, 1988," Shahi said in the Assembly while replying to a discussion on his department's budgetary demand of Rs 231.96 crore for 2015-16.
As of the day, the forest cover has already been increased to about 13 per cent (12.86 per cent to be exact) through sustained afforestation drive, he said and urged all stakeholders to collectively work to meet the target of 15 per cent forest cover by 2017.
Shahi candidly admitted factors like acute pressure on land for farming and housing due to Bihar being the most densely populated state, for inadequate forest cover, and said low survival rate of plants at 20 per cent has been another reason for slow pace of growth in green cover.
Despite various handicaps like lack of manpower and funds, the Forest and Environment department has succeeded in almost doubling the forest cover from 7.27 per cent at the time of bifurcation (in 2000) to 12.86 per cent at present, he said.
Shahi expressed concern at rising air pollution level in Bihar, particularly in the state capital and said air particle on a particular day was found to be 233 micron as against 100 micron existing routinely.
Heavy pollution from vehicles and building materials were prime factors behind increasing air pollution level, he said.
The pollution in river Ganga due to siltation also figured in the minister's speech.
Stating that the Bihar government was willing to work with the Centre for restoration of the Ganga, Shahi called for measures to prevent dumping waste materials in the river and also identified electronic waste as the latest threat to environment, saying effective measures must be taken to deal with the menace.
The House later passed the Forest and Environment department's budgetary demand by voice vote amid a walkout by the opposition BJP members.
