Percentage of actual forest coverage in Odisha has far exceeded national average. During 2015 the percentage of actual forest cover to total geographical area of the State has increased to 32.34 per cent against the national average of 21.34 per cent.
This was revealed in a review meeting of the Forest and Environment Department held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi here on Tuesday wherein Principal Secretary Forest and Environment Suresh Chandra Mohapatra presented the updates and outlined the issues for discussion.
Reviewing the progress, Chief Secretary Padhi directed the department to focus on successful implementation of Ama Jungle Yojana (AMY), conservation of sacred groove, enhancement of Kl operations and proper management of eco-tourism. Chief Secretary also directed that all avenue plantations be done keeping in view the future expansion of the road. The department should take up avenue plantation in close coordination with Works and Rural Development departments, he said.
Replying to a media query after the meeting, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests JD Sharma said that FSI (Forest Survey of India) in its report on November, 2015 has accounted 50 sq km growth of the actual forest coverage in Odisha over the year 2013. At present, the forest growth coverage has increased to 50,354 sqkm which is around 32.34 per cent of the total geographical area of the State.
The percentage of actual forest coverage at national level is 21.34 per cent. This has been possible, said PCCF Sharma, mainly because of peoples’ involvement in Grama Jungle Committees and strict implementation of AMY.
Available data shows, during 2015-16 afforestation has been done over 1, 50, 865 hectares and avenue plantation has been raised along 4,607 km. In urban areas near about 16, 55,000 saplings have been planted. Around 465 lakh saplings have also been distributed to people. A target has been set to take up afforestation over 5, 27, 302 hectares, avenue plantation along 5,100 km of road and 17, 00, 000 urban plantation during 2016-17. The Chief Secretary advised the department to grow those saplings for which there is people’s demand and distribute the saplings at nominal cost of `1 to `2. It has been targeted to distribute 570 lakh saplings during 2016-17.
Around 2,161 tribal sacred groves have been identified out of which 200 groves have been taken up for conservation during 2014-15. Another 500 sites will be developed during 2015-16.
PCCF (Kl) Amiya Kumar Mohapatra mentioned that this year the sale value of Kendu leaf (Kl) is expected to go up to `530 crore . Till now `519 crore has been collected from the sale proceeds, he informed.
The issues relating to FRA and its effect on jungle, uncertainty of Central plan funds, online payment to labourers, and implementation of Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation etc were also discussed in the meeting.
