Maoist-hit Odisha sees forest growth

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar: After the harsh note from the Centre about untamed Maoist activities in Odisha, here is something heartening for the State Government. Despite a general trend of decline in forest cover, Odisha is among the few States that showed increase, marginal though, in forest cover.

There has been notable increase in forest cover in Odisha, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the past three years. The period also saw a massive decline in forest cover in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. These were revealed in response to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha.

According to Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan, Odisha has seen a decent increase in spread of forest cover. Since 2009, the State has added 48 sq km of forest cover. It is spread over a geographical area of 1.55 lakh sq km and has a forest area of 48,903 sq km. Of this, 7,060 sq km is very dense, 21,366 is moderately dense and 20,477 sq km open forest.

According to the Minister, Andhra Pradesh has lost 281 sq km forest cover.

The State has a geographical area of 2.75 lakh sq km and a forest cover of 46,389 sq km, out of which 850 sq km is under very dense forest, 26,242 sq km under moderate dense forest and 19,297 sq km under open forest.

This has been attributed to forest clearance in some encroached areas and harvesting of short rotation crops followed by new regeneration and plantation.

Kerala is the next State in South India to see a marginal loss in forest cover totalling 24 sq km.

The State has a geographical area of 38,863 sq km and a forest cover of 17,300 sq km, of which 1,442 sq km is under very dense forest, 9,394 sq km under moderate dense forest and 6,464 sq km under open forest.

The reply given by Natarajan states that the decrease in forest cover in the State can be attributed to rotational felling of eucalyptus, teak, acacia, mangium, rubber and share-bearing trees in gardens.