GUWAHATI, July 6 ? Assam?s forest cover has gone down to only 16 per cent of the total geographical area and the State Government has sought the help of the neighbouring Sates for launching a massive Plantation programme, said the Minister of State for Forest, Sri Pradyut Bordoloi. Talking to The Assam Tribune here today, Sri Bordoloi said that though on paper the forest cover in the State as 26 per cent, the actual cover as per the remote sensing data is only about 16 per cent. He said that as per international norms, the forest cover in the plain areas should be at least 33 per cent, while it should be 60 per cent in the hill areas. Sri Bordoloi said that in the eviction drives, the Forest Department has so far cleared 17,000 hectares of forest land and ?now our main aim is to consolidate on the land already cleared a massive plantation drive as there were reports of reencroachment in some of the evicted areas.? He said that as the nurseries of the Forest Department are not well equipped to supply adequate saplings for the plantation programme, he has sought help from the neighbouring States of Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal. Arunachal Pradesh has already provided 30,000 seedlings, he added. The Department has also sought help from the private nurseries of the State in this regard.
The Minister stressed the need for people?s participation in protecting the forest cover in the State and said that a proposal is being prepared to include subjects like ill effects of depletion of forest cover and the necessity of increasing the forest cover in the school curriculum. The Forest Department is also planning a lecture series on the need of protecting forest cover in the schools of the State to create awareness among school children. Sri Bordoloi further revealed that steps are being initiated to amend the forest policy of the State.
Meanwhile, participating in a plantation programme in the Momaikata Garh? of Katabari area under Fatashil Reserve Forest this morning, Chief Minister, Sri Tarun Gogoi said that the Government was seriously considering re-settlement of the poor families evicted from the Reserve Forest Area. Expressing serious concern at the depletion of the forest cover in the State, Sri Gogoi said that it was a dangerous trend for the State. He said that the Government has already prepared on action plan to improve the situation. The Government is also in touch with environment experts, he added. The Health Minister, Dr Bhumidhar Barman and the Minister of State for Forest Sri Pradyut Bordoloi also participated in the programme. The Chief Minister also formally erected a post to identify the Fatashil Reserve Forest Area.