Industrial states lose 111 sq km of forests to non-industrial cause

For long,  industrialised states were looked upon as the ones trading their forest cover for development. However, the recent  report by the Forest Survey of India shows that out of the nine most industrialized states, five have been able to increase their green cover in 2011 compared to 2009. Between 2001 and 2010, these nine states contributed 60 per cent towards the country’s GDP output.

Data analysed by Business Standard shows five out of the nine states have together added 178 square km of forests. The states which were net gainers include Tamil Nadu (74 sq km), Karnataka (4 sq km), Rajasthan (51 sq km), West Bengal (1 sq km) and Orissa (48 sq km).

The net losers of forest include Andhra Pradesh (-281 sq km), Uttar Pradesh (-3 sq km), Maharashtra (-4 sq km) and Gujarat (-1 sq km). The report has blamed Naxal activities for forest cover depletion in some states. Even in Andhra Pradesh, the government attributed the forest loss to Naxals felling trees in Warangal and Khammam districts.

According to the Director General of Forest Survey of India (FSI) A K Wahal, “the losses of forest cover in the industrialised states were mostly due to non-industrial purpose such as cutting of trees by Naxals, plantation of eucalyptus trees by the state government. Very marginal forest cover is lost due to forest clearances to industrial project.”

Although the numbers looks rosy on the chart, activists argue a thorough study should be conducted by the environment ministry on bio diversity. The survey does not demarcate natural forests from plantations. They feel that the growth in forestry in some states is mostly due to mono-cultural plantations, which cannot compensate for the loss of biodiversity-rich natural forests.

India's forest cover shrank by 367 sq km with the maximum 80 per cent loss recorded in Andhra Pradesh. Decline in 281 sq km forest cover in Andhra Pradesh is also attributed to harvesting of mature plantation of Eucalyptus and other species.

Forest and tree cover of the country as per the biennial assessment report released by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) is 78.29 million hectares, which is 23.81 per cent of the geographical area.

While 15 states have registered aggregate increase of 500 sq km in their forest with Punjab leading with increase of 100 sq km. The growth in forest cover in Punjab is due to  agro-forestry. The 12 states and Union Territories, mainly from the north east, have shown a decline of 867 sq km.  Fall in forest cover in northeast is particularly due to prevailing practice of shifting cultivation in this region, the forest report said.

Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country at 77,770 sq km followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 67,410 sq km.