(a) whether the forest cover in the North Eastern Region (NER) States is declining;
(b) if so, the details thereof during the last five years, State-wise;
(c) whether illegal coal mining and destruction of forest area is responsible for loss of forest cover in the North Eastern Region and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) whether the Ministry has taken up the matter with the respective State Governments and if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) to (c) Forest Survey of India, Dehradun, an organization under the Ministry carries out the assessment of forest cover of the country biennially and findings are published in India State of Forest Report (ISFR). The forest cover of the entire north eastern region as per ISFR- 2015, ISFR-2017 and ISFR-2019 is 1,68,583 square kilometer (km2), 1,67,962 km2 and 1,67,199 km2 respectively.
There is an overall increase in the forest cover in the country, however, some decline in forest cover in North East States has been observed in the ISFR-2019 as compared to ISFR-2017 & ISFR-2015 due to various reasons such as shifting cultivation, developmental activities such as mining, construction of dams, road and railway network, etc. Details of forest cover in North Eastern States are given in Annexure.
(d) The Ministry has taken up the matter with the State Forest Departments of North Eastern States regarding decrease in forest cover and requested the State to review and take appropriate remedial measures.
To increase the forest cover in the country including North Eastern region, the Ministry is taking several initiatives. These include ongoing Centrally Sponsored Schemes of the Ministry such as National Afforestation Programme, National Mission for a Green India and Development of Wildlife Habitats. The recently promulgated Compensatory Afforestation Fund Rules, 2018 also contain provisions for taking up assisted natural regeneration, artificial regeneration and silvicultural operations in forests which contribute to increase in forest cover. The Ministry also supports school nursery and urban forestry programmes through people’s participation.
Afforestation activities are also taken up under various programmes/funding sources such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana and under the schemes/plans of State/UT Governments.
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