Govt Allowed Cutting of 1 Crore Trees in 5 Years: Env Ministry
Out of the total, the highest number of trees (26.91 lakh) were cut in 2018-19, MoS for Env Babul Supriyo said.
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The Environment Ministry permitted cutting of over 1 crore trees in the last five years for development work, it informed Parliament on Friday, 26 July.
Out of the total, the highest number of trees (26.91 lakh) were cut in 2018-19, he said.
Supriyo said data on trees destroyed in forest fires is not maintained by his ministry.
"Trees are felled for various development purposes with the permission of competent authorities in accordance with the procedure laid down in various Acts. However, the Ministry does not maintain data regarding the cutting of trees due to forest fire," Supriyo said.
Supriyo added, a sum of Rs 237.07 crore has been released in the last four years to 12 states under the Green India Mission for afforestation in an area of 87113.86 hectares and providing alternative energy devices to 56,319 households.
Under National Afforestation Programme, an amount of Rs 328.90 crore has been released to the states to treat new area of 94,828 hectares during the last four years (2015-16 to 2018-19), he said.
“Is BJP Destroying Our Future?”: Congress
The Congress on Saturday, 27 July attacked the government and asked "Is BJP destroying our future"?
"Trees are 'life'. Tress are 'oxygen'. Tress absorb 'carbon dioxide'. Trees protect 'environment'. Modi Govt has cut a whopping 1,09,75,844 trees in the past 5 years! (Parliamentary Reply)," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter.
He also posted the Environment Ministry's reply in the Lok Sabha that it permitted cutting of over 1 crore trees in the last five years for development work.
"Is BJP destroying our future?" he asked.
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