77,522 sq km in Madhya Pradesh, 67,321 sq km in Arunachal Pradesh under forest cover

NEW DELHI: A total of 77,522 sq km area in Madhya Pradesh and 67,321 sq km area in Arunachal Pradesh are under forest cover, Lok Sabha was informed today.

Minister for Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar said out of the 3,08,245 sq km geographical area in Madhya Pradesh, 77,522 sq km area are under forest cover while in Arunachal Pradesh, out of 83,743 sq km geographical area, 67,321 sq km area under forest cover.

In Maharashtra, out of 3,07,713 sq km geographical area, 50,632 sq km area are under forest cover, while in Odisha, out of 1,55,707 sq km geographical area, 50,347 sq km area are under forest cover.

Javadekar said Forest Survey of India, Dehradun, carries out monitoring of forest cover in the country on a biennial basis using remote sensing data and forest cover mapping of the country on wall-to-wall basis using remote sensing technology. This was being carried out since 1987.

"The satellite data provides a synoptic view of the area and one satellite scene covers approximately 20,000 sq km on the ground. The satellite undertakes repeat data acquisition after a period of 24 days. Thus, remote sensing technology provides a time series data of a given area in a cost effective manner which is useful for the forest cover assessment," he said.

Javadekar said afforestation in the country is taken up under various centrally sponsored schemes such as National Afforestation Programme, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Integrated Watershed Management Programme, National Bamboo Mission and under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority, 13th Finance Commission Grant, different state plan/non-plan schemes, including externally aided projects.