Guwahati: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has called on the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to take urgent action against the alarming decline in Assam’s forest cover, as highlighted in the Indian State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023.
The report shows a loss of 83.92 sq. km of forest cover in Assam, a significant concern for the region’s carbon sink, which stores over 271 million tonnes of carbon.
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In a letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Gogoi cited causes such as deforestation, illegal logging, and land encroachment.
He highlighted examples like the diversion of Geleky forest land for infrastructure projects and the potential threats posed by the Bokakhat dumping site to nearby protected forests.
Gogoi proposed a comprehensive approach to combat deforestation, including the use of advanced technologies like GPS tracking and drones to monitor illegal activities.
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He called for better coordination between forest guards, law enforcement, and revenue departments to enforce forest laws.
Additionally, Gogoi emphasized involving local communities in forest management to ensure sustainable conservation and use of forest resources.