Forest cover increases in Orissa by 100 sq km

BHUBANESWAR: For Greens, there is some good news. Forest cover has increased by 100 square kilometers (sq kms) during 2005-07 thanks to pro-active Village Forest Protection Committees (VFPC) which have not only ensured effective protection of the standing forest but also helped regeneration of trees in shifting cultivation areas.

India has added 728 sq. kms of forest on a net basis for the entire country during this period as well and Arunachal Pradesh has nearly 88 % of its area under forest cover (excluding the area above the tree line.). Mizoram added the maximum of forest area with an addition of 640 sq. kms. Orissa ranks fifth in the country so far as addition of forests are concerned, according to the report of the Forest Survey of India (FSI), 2009 released on Monday.

“However, the forest department has little to cheer, since the same report attributes this increase due to the pro active efforts of the VFPCs. Nevertheless, it is doubtful if Orissa can recover the previous loss since the addition is only 0.002 % compared to the loss of 0.009 % suffered during the period 2001- 2003,” Wildlife Society of Orissa secretary, Biswajit Mohanty on Tuesday told ET.

Mr Mohanty further added that the forest department’s efforts to protect forests and set up new plantations, has yet to bear fruits in spite of spending crores of rupees every year. “A decrease of shifting cultivation by tribals has also helped in regeneration of old root stock in districts like Kandhmal, Boudh, Rayagada, Koraput, Nowrangpur where shifting cultivation is common”, he added.

Every two years, the FSI conducts an assessment of the forest cover in the country with the help of remote sensing techniques. Satellite pictures of October, 2006 to March, 2007 have been used to ascertain the forest cover.

The state has a total area of 1,55,707 sq. kms. As per the latest census only 31% of the area of the state has actual forests. However, only 18 % of the state's geographical area is covered by dense forests though ideally it should be 33 %. The state has a recorded forest area of 58,136 sq. kms though actual forest area is 48,474 sq. kms.

Timber smuggling, rampant mining, unplanned industrialization and uncontrolled grazing are the main causes of rapid forest loss. Timber smugglers are active throughout the state and have been regularly decimating the dense forests of Satkosia, Keonjhar, Balliguda, Rayagada, Athmalik,Boudh, Simlipal, Baisapalli, Pallahara, Bonai, Dhenkanal areas.