Findings in the India State of Forest Report 2017 prepared by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) show that while recorded forest area shows a net decrease of 49 square kilometres in Uttarakhand, there has been a net increase of only 23 square kilometres in the forest cover since 2015. The net decrease can be attributed to rotational fellings and developmental activities, according to the report. The findings show that only a marginal increase in the forest cover area has been achieved in the State during the last two years, which according to activists, lends substance to concerns regarding the environmental cost of works undertaken in the name of development.
According to the report released in the national Capital on Monday by Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Harsh Vardhan, the 23 square kilometres net increase in forest cover observed in the State since 2015 can be attributed to expansion of tree cover outside forests. Regarding the forest cover in the 13 districts of Uttarakhand, the report states that with the total geographical area being 53,483 square kilometres, very dense forests cover 4969 square kilometres, moderatrely dense forests covery 12,884 square kilometres and open forests cover 6,442 square kilometres. This totals to about 24,295 square kilometres of forest area which is 45.43 per cent of the total geographical area.
According to experts, increase in very dense forest could be viewed as a positive aspect though moderately dense forest has been affected negatively due to developmental works. It is pertinent to mention here that activists have for some time been expressing serious concern over axing of thousands of trees for the ambitious all-weather road project aimed at facilitating round the year road connectivity to the four prominent pilgrimage centres of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
Considering the findings in the India State of Forest report, activists in the state have reiterated that execution of road construction and other works for developmental purposes is damaging the moderately dense forests which act as a buffer for the very dense forests. The findings should make the authorities realise that with environment being the main resource on which the other employment generating activities like agriculture and tourism depend, immediate measures need to be taken to mitigate further degradation of forests in Uttarakhand, opine activists.