Guwahati: India has reportedly lost somewhere around 2.3 million hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2023 with five northeastern states including Assam being hit the hardest.
The decline has been reported at 6 per cent since 2000 according to a new report by the Global Forest Watch.
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Five northeastern states – Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur – were particularly affected, accounting for 60 per cent of the total tree cover loss.
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Assam suffered the most, losing 324,000 hectares of trees. The trend was an average of 66,600 hectares during the period.
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The report also identified fire as a major threat to forests, with Odisha experiencing the highest average annual loss due to fires at 238 hectares. Other northeastern states like Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Assam, and Meghalaya also saw significant fire-related deforestation.
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Mizoram lost 312,000 hectares of tree cover, Arunachal Pradesh 262,000 hectares, Nagaland 259,000 hectares and Manipur 240,000 hectares.
A concerning trend is the potential weakening of forest protections.
The Forest Conservation Amendment Act passed in 2023 allows the diversion of forests for infrastructure projects near borders without requiring clearance.
Additionally, the Act limits protection to officially classified forests, leaving many natural areas vulnerable.
However, a recent Supreme Court judgement offers some hope.
The court has directed states to follow a broader definition of “forest” encompassing any area resembling a forest, potentially offering protection to ecologically sensitive lands.