India’s Claim of Increased Forest Cover may be False feel Researchers

Researchers have repudiated Government claims that India’s forest cover has increased by up to 5% in a span of 10 years. The research conducted by two Indian and an Australian scientist reports that in reality there is decline in natural forest cover by 1.5% to 2.7% each year.

Two Indian and one Australian scientist, have enumerated in their research paper titled ‘Cryptic destruction of India’s Native Forests,’ on how the 2009 report (the most recent) of Forest survey of India’s biennial Status of Forest, claims the 5%increase in forest cover between 1997 and 2007 as authentic. This increase, according to researchers, is attributed to the fact that the government defines both natural forests and exotic tree plantations as ‘Forests’. Whereas the study shows that if tree plantations are subtracted from the total areas of forests, actually there is a decline in forest cover.

In an email, Forest Survey of India (Union Environment Ministry) stated that,

“As the boundaries of native forests are not available, it is not possible to comment on the trend (in their change)…There is no data to show large-scale loss in native forests at the national level. We cannot say that natural forests are inviolate, but certainly the contention that there is large-scale or cryptic destruction of India’s native forests is an overstatement.”

The researchers observed that between 1995 and 2005 there was a sharp decline of Natural forests from 514,137 sq km to 389,970 sq kms. Conversely, in the same period there was rise in total forest cover from 660,337 sq km to 690,250 sq km; the tree plantation grew rapidly from 146,200 sq km to 389,970 sq km. The rise in forest cover is thus entirely due to tree plantations or ‘artificial forests’.

Tree plantations are but poor substitutes to natural forests.

It is common knowledge that virgin forests are sacrificed for activities like mining, power generation, road connectivity etc. The contention by forest authorities that there is no large scale destruction of natural forests is an understatement.

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Article reference: TOI

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