Panel concerned over loss of forest

Concerned over loss of forest cover, a parliamentary panel has asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests to explain as to why a Rs 3,044 crore programme to increase tree cover failed to yield result.

In its report presented to Lok Sabha today, the Committee on Estimates, chaired by Francisco Sardinha, said it was dismayed to note that though the National Afforestation Programme (NAP) launched in 2002 was aimed at increasing and improving tree cover, the forest cover of the country has decreased by 367 sq km during the period 2009 to 2011.

The report said that the committee was "at a loss to understand how having taken up a total area of 1.94 million hectare under NAP at a cost of Rs 3,044 crore since inception in 2002, the outcome afforestation has been negative."

The panel also expressed shock at diversion of forest land of 1.2 million hectare even after declaration of the National Forest Policy in 1988 and recommended a fresh look at the policy.

"What was shocking to the Committee was that even after declaration of the National Forest Policy in the year 1988, the Committee had to witness diversion of 1.2 million hectares of forest land. This reveals the abysmally poor implementation of the National Forest Policy, 1988 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests," it said.

While noting that additional 30 million hectares outside forest area needs to be brought under forest and tree cover to reach the target of 33 per cent forest cum tree cover of total geographical area in the country as set by NFP, it said that it has felt that there was a need for realistic projection of addition to forest cover area.