NE Region Lost 1,020 Kms Of Forest Cover In Last 2 Years

The total forest cover in the north-eastern region has reduced by 1,020 square kms in the last two years, the Ministry of Environment informed on Thursday.

According to the India State of Forests Report (ISFR) 2021 by the ministry, the the north-eastern states have a total forest cover of 1,69,521 square km, out of their total geographical area of 2,62,179 sq km, which is 7.98 per cent of the country's geographical area.

The forest cover in the eight north eastern states accounts for 23.75 per cent of the total forest cover of the country.

The report states that Arunachal Pradesh lost the maximum forest cover of 257 sq km, followed by Meghalaya 249 sq km, Nagaland 235 sq km, Mizoram 186 sq km, Meghalaya 73 sq km, Assam 15 sq km, Tripura 4 sq km and Sikkim one square kilometer.

The report further states that the region is characterised by shifting/jhum cultivation, where forest land is converted into agricultural land and the fields are cultivated for a relatively short time.

"Thereafter, the area is allowed to recover or is left fallow for a long time, and this activity is repeated after certain years. Such agricultural practices mainly cause fluctuation in forest cover in this region," the biennial report said.