India’s Forest, Tree Cover Up By 5,188 Sq Km Since 2017: Govt

The top three states showing an increase in forest cover are Karnataka, followed by Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala.

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There has been an increase of 5,188 square kilometres in the total forest and tree cover of the country as compared to the assessment of 2017, the government said on Monday, 30 December.

Releasing the India State of Forest Report 2019, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar said there was an increase of 42.6 million tonnes in the country’s carbon stock as compared to the last assessment of 2017.

"This report gives us confidence that we are on track to achieve our Paris Agreement goals," he said.

According to the report, the total tree-and-forest cover in the country has risen by 5,188 sq. km in the last two years, including an increase of 3,976 sq. km (0.56 per cent) of forest cover and 1,212 sq. km (1.29 per cent) of tree cover, compared to the report of 2017 released by the Forest Survey of India (FSI).

The top three states showing an increase in forest cover are Karnataka (1,025 square kilometres), followed by Andhra Pradesh (990 square kilometres), and Kerala (823 square kilometres).

Besides Javadekar, the release event was attended by Environment Secretary C K Mishra, Siddhant Das, Director General-Forests, Ministry of Environment, Subhash Ashutosh, Director General, FSI, and other officials from the ministry as well as states, news agency PTI reported.

Lauding the efforts of the FSI, Mishra said it was not a routine work but added value and new content to the report.

"It is not a routine mathematical report. It adds value to the report and new content. It provides a set of data which is like a mirror for us to guide us in the right direction. This report is used for policy formulation and improving the quality of forests too," he said.

(With inputs from IANS and PTI)