"Tree Cover Increased…": Minister On Forest Cover In India
According to Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh, the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021 reveals that India’s total forest cover is 7,13,789 square kilometers, constituting 21.71% of the country’s geographical area, and added that the Forest Survey of India (FSI) conducts biennial assessments of forest cover.
The minister was addressing questions in the Lok Sabha from MPs Anto Antony, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, and Dr. Amar Singh.
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Singh highlighted that the tree cover increased by 721 square kilometers between 2019 and 2021, with no loss of tree cover during this period. Therefore, concerns about increased carbon dioxide emissions due to tree cover loss are unfounded.
“Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, an organization under the Ministry carries out the assessment of forest cover biennially. As per the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR) published in 2021, the total forest cover of the country is 7,13,789 square kilometer which is 21.71% of the geographical area of the country,” the minister said.
Differences between ISFR 2021 and Global Forest Watch data are attributed to varying definitions of forest and tree cover used in these reports. Currently, there are no plans to amend the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhniyam, 1980.
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It further listed an annexure of state/UT wise details of forest cover as per ISFR since 2019 till 2021. Based on the data, Madhya Pradesh has the highest forest cover 77,482 in 2019 and 77,493 in 2021.
While Delhi’s forest cover remained the same (195) from 2019 to 2021, Kerala’s numbers increased from 21,144 from ISFR 2019 to 21,253 in 2021.
