Though the State Forest Department claims that the forest cover of Odisha has developed in the last few years, by citing an aerial photographic survey, it cannot be accepted as true.
Scientific data is always obtained through satellite survey and not from ground measurement practice. The aerial photographic survey always gives a dimensional figure of any object or an area. It cannot give the status of the land or the object, as we gather details from a field survey. The satellite dimensional figure data obtained through aerial photographic method must be correlated with the field data for confirmation of the truthfulness.
On March 21 last, when the whole world was observing the World Forest Day, the Chief Minister of Odisha declared that the State had acquired 8,500 sqkm of forests in last few years. The forest area of the State on record is 58,137 sqkm which comes to 37.34 per cent of the total geographical area. In fact, no new plantations were carried out outside the forest land, contrary to the State Forest Department’s or CM’s claim.
If we believe the satellite survey report of the Government of India through the Department of Survey of India, the tree coverage of the State has increased, but it cannot be claimed that the forest coverage has increased.
The tree coverage may be horticulture plantations. The maize fields, grass land, cannabis fields, millet fields and such other fields can be represented as forest land by the aerial photographic survey. Such areas are to be excluded.
Further, it is stated that the forest coverage has grown in coastal tracts, particularly in the mangrove areas. It is a fact that the ecological systems of maritime lands and watershed areas of the State are thoroughly degraded due to loss of vegetations in the sensitive areas. The mangrove forests of the sea coasts have denuded and eroded due to several economic reasons. Soil erosions and formation of sand dunes along the sea coast are increasing very fast due to unrestricted human activities. Adjudging the above factors, the local people of the coastal land are making large scale plantations of casuarinas, bamboos and other fruit bearing trees for their economic as well as of ecological protections.
They also undertake large scale plantations of coconut trees for economic and ecological safety. The people of the region, both young and old, are interested in creating massive tree plantations to protect themselves from such natural disasters like cyclone.
Usually, the tree crown converge of these land has increased, which was detected in the aerial photographic survey. It cannot be said that the enhanced tree crown cover of the coastal region belongs to mangrove forest land of the State.
Sometimes back, it was reported in media that thousands of hectares of mangrove land in Bhitarkanika and Chilika estuaries were encroached upon by the people for agriculture and prawn cultivations, including other purposes. The total mangrove forest area of the State is 203 sqkm. But vast tracts are now under encroachments and under prawn cultivations by some powerful people of the State. Also, in vast areas of coastal sandy tracts and other lands, cashew plants are raised by private persons and village communities to have economic support and for protection from blowing of sands during summer.
The unfertile sandy lands are also stabilised through cashew and casuarinas plantations. The salty grasses are also encouraged through stabilisation of sand dunes and formation of top mother soil. This becomes the best habitat for herbivores. The best example is Puri-Konark sand coasts of eastern Odisha. When mangrove forests are denuding very fast due to several biotic factors, the people’s acquired free groves are increasing in coastal tracts, which are claimed as forest cover of the State. The mangrove forests have many benefits for the coastal region. The rich biodiversities of flora and fauna are noticed in the mangrove regions, but such diversified bio-complex is mismanaged and misutilised for industrial benefits and for short-term gains.
Recently, the Government of India has started its operations for construction of 450 km long coastal high way right from Gopalpur coast to Digha of West-Bengal, which will pass through the mangrove region of the entire coast. lots of mangrove land will be sacrificed, including the biological hubs of the Chilika lagoon and Bitarakanika. For industrial motive if we sacrifice all the biological complexes, it is sure to spell doom for us and in this light how far the marine project will affect the marine biodiversity can be gauged. Hence, when the mangrove forests of the State are vanishing fast for raising of several ports and harbours, how the State Government is claiming that the mangrove crown coverage is increasingIJ
April 5 was observed as the World Maritime Day. The objective of the day is to protect the oceans and bays including their marine shores from any kind of pollution and human caused degradation. The whole oceanic planet is getting highly polluted due to industrial as well as economic activities, which is going to be an oceanic desert very soon. So, needless to say, more pollution will be caused to the Bay of Bengal and its surrounding landmasses due to the maritime highway project along the sea coast.
(The writer is a former forest officer and environmentalist, M-9937460649)