Forest guards alone can’t stop rhino poaching, people around Kaziranga must help

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...ssam-floods/article19629482.ece?homepage=true

Both Brahmaputra and Barak, along with their tributaries, were flowing above danger levels at some point during the monsoon season. Dhansiri, Jia Bharali and Kushiyara, a Barak tributary, continue to flow above danger level.

Rainfall in upstream also contributes to flooding, as the water flow increases downstream. China shares water flow information of the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers with India during monsoon as a part of bilateral ties. The hydrological data helps understanding water level downstream. However, this year India did not receive any information from China, said MEA.

How many animals died?

398 animals died in Kaziranga Natioanl Park this year. Following are the numbers of animal affected (not dead) and washed away.

Animals affected

Big
Small
Poultry

15,99,657
10,98,519
28,87,612

Animals washed away

Big
Small
Poultry

111
109
228

 

[Hindustani78]

Updated: Sep 22, 2017 23:21 IST

Utpal Parashar
Guwahati, Hindustan Times

National parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Assam have the largest number of rhinos in Asia.(PTI file)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...s-this-year/story-8fEiVpL67vYk88CK6OhQAO.html


Assam witnessed its worst floods in over three decades this year, which not only claimed 160 human lives but also led to the deaths of hundreds of wildlife in the state’s protected forests.

While floodwaters killed 31 one-horned rhinos in Kaziranga national park this year, only two deaths were reported due to poaching, the park’s director, Satyendra Singh, said.

Last year too, the park — spread across 430 sq km — saw 32 rhino deaths due to flooding compared to 18 deaths due to poaching.

National parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Assam have the largest number of rhinos in Asia. While Kaziranga has 2,401, Orang and Pobitora have about 100 each and Manas accounts for 30.

Conservation efforts over the past years have resulted in a steady rise in the number of the endangered specie from 1,552 in 1999 to 2,401 in 2015 at Kaziranga. At the same time, deaths due to floods have also increased. Between 2002 and 2017, 130 rhinos died due to floods.

While deaths due to floods have been more in focus in the past two years, poaching continues to remain a big problem in the state. In the 10 years between 2005 and 2015, 127 rhinos were killed by poachers in Assam.

However, all is not lost. Jamuna, a female rhino who was translocated to Manas national park from Kaziranga, gave birth to her second calf earlier this month.

Rhino population in Manas had become almost nil after poachers connected to Bodo terror outfits killed nearly 100 animals in the 1980s and 1990s.

Translocation of rhinos to Manas from other parks in Assam was initiated in 2008 under the Indian Rhino Vision (IRV) project. According to the 2015 census, Manas had 30 rhinos but since 2011, 10 of them were killed by poachers.

 

[Hindustani78]

One-horned rhinos cross flood waters in search of a high land in the flood-affected Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district, Assam. The sanctuary, which has the highest concentration of one-horned rhinos in the world, is totally submerged by flood waters. Photo: Ritu Raj Konwar

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...nga-national-park-opening/article19778686.ece
Kaziranga, September 30, 2017 21:57 IST
Updated: September 30, 2017 22:00 IST


Nearly 200 animals, including rhinos and swamp deer, died in the floods in July and August at the Kaziranga National Park.
The Kaziranga National Park, home to the one-horned rhinoceros and a UNESCO World Heritage site, will be thrown open to visitors on Monday, one month ahead of the usual November 1 dateline. The park which suffered extensive damage in the floods in Assam this year was closed to the public in May. Nearly 200 animals, including rhinos and swamp deer, died in the floods in July and August.

PTI, quoting park officials, said the Agoratoli Range, which attracts many migratory birds, will remain closed because of the devastation caused by flood waters. Kaziranga National Park's forest officer Rohini Ballav Saikia said domestic and international tourists are likely to be in the first group of a 14-member elephant safari that will be kicked off from Mihimukh under the Kohora range.

The picture shows rhinos and their calves standing on elevated land in the flooded park in July. The floods became worse in August and at least seven rhinos drowned in the rising waters; at least six calves were rescued by forest officials.

 

[Hindustani78]

Employee of Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), Kaziranga feed a female rhinoceros after it is release at Assam State Zoo in Guwahati on Friday. One male and two female rhinos, which were rescued from the Kaziranga National park during recent floods, were brought to Assam State Zoo for breeding purpose, according to a zoo official.

 

[Hindustani78]

A notorious wildlife trafficker with international links, who was involved in smuggling body parts of 125 tigers and 1,200 leopards, was convicted by a Madhya Pradesh court
Updated: Oct 15, 2017 22:28 IST
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...r-year-jail/story-gOYIkkcL6Ta4hpeBicyqxH.html


A notorious wildlife trafficker with international links, who was involved in smuggling body parts of 125 tigers and 1,200 leopards, was convicted by a Madhya Pradesh court along with four traffickers and awarded four-year rigorous imprisonment.

Madhya Pradesh forest department’s special task force (STF) arrested Shamim, who hails from Kanpur, in February this year.

STF officials said he was involved in trafficking animal body parts in the international market via Nepal and Tibet.

Ritesh Sirothia, STF (wildlife crime) in charge, said Shamim, Badrilal Sapera, Mansingh, Prahlad and Raghuvir were convicted and sentenced to prison for four years along with a penalty of ₹10,000 each under provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

If they fail to pay the penalty, they will have to serve an additional jail term of 10 months each.

“During questioning, Shamim admitted that he was involved in the trade of 125 tiger and 1,200 leopard hides in Indian and international markets,” Sirothia said.

He added that Shamim was also arrested in UP in 2004 with 456 nails of tigers and leopards.

Sirothia said Raghuvir alias Kalicharan was arrested in 1988 with 129 animal hides from Guna district but he managed to get away.

“In 2005, a case was registered against him in Ranthambore too. These convictions are a major success for us,” he said

The court said the five were involved in organised wildlife smuggling of wild animals including pangolins, jackals, cobras, red sand boas, hyenas in MP’s Narsinghgarh, Sehore, Guna, Rajasthan and Delhi.

According to principal chief wildlife warden (wildlife ) Jitendra Agrawal, the five traffickers were arrested by the STF with pangolin scales and a sand boa snake in January this year and later produced before the court

 

[Hindustani78]

Kaziranga, November 03, 2017 20:28 IST
Updated: November 03, 2017 20:28 IST

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/en...tional-park/article19976694.ece?homepage=true

Poachers shot dead a rhino at the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in upper Assam midnight last night and took away its horn, a forest department official said today.

The poachers had used an AK-47 rifle to kill the adult female rhino, the official said, adding with the killing of this rhino, the toll rose to three this year.

The KNP security personnel heard gunshots and launched a search operation, and they found the carcass near Tunikati forest camp, KNP Divisional Forest Officer Ruhini Ballab Saikia told PTI.

According to Saikia, altogether 27 empty cartridges of AK-47 rifle were recovered from the site.

He also said it appeared that the rhino was driven to the Tunikati forest camp area from another part of the park and isolated before it was shot dead.

Poachers killed two rhinos earlier this year. While one was killed at Hatibali Chapori in KNP’s sixth addition area in February, the other was killed at Burapahar Range of the world heritage site in April, a forest official said.

Last year, poachers killed 18 rhinos in park and took away their horns, the official said.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...view-anti-poaching-steps-every-month-4934497/
A meeting was called on Sunday by Chief Secretary V K Pipersenia to chalk out strategies to check poaching at the World Heritage Site.

By: PTI | Tezpur | Updated: November 12, 2017 10:30 pm

FILE – At least four rhinos had fallen victims to poachers in the last fortnight. (AP Photo/File)

The Assam government has decided to hold monthly meetings at the Kaziranga National Park to keep itself updated about the efficacy of the steps taken to curb poaching of rhinos. At least four rhinos had fallen victims to poachers in the last fortnight.

A meeting was called on Sunday by Chief Secretary V K Pipersenia to chalk out strategies to check poaching at the World Heritage Site with Deputy commissioners, Superintendents of police and forest officials of the five district of Sonitpur, Biswanath, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Nagaon participated.

Speaking to PTI, Chief Secretary Pipersenia said the meeting held discussions on finding a permanent solution to the poaching issue and a roadmap will be drawn which will take views of all deputy commissioners and superintendents of police and forest divisions on how to stop the repeated killings of rhinos in the Park.

Stating that review meetings will be held every month with the district authorities for strategy development, he said a committee for anti-poaching — Kaziranga Anti-poaching Coordination Mechanism — will be set up and discussed with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

The meeting also reviewed the anti poaching strategy taken up by the forest department even as six rhinos have been killed in Kaziranga National Park this year, he added.

On Novemver 10, police in Nagaon district had arrested three poachers hailing from Kohima in Nagaland after they fled from Haibargaon check point where police recovered huge cache of arms from their vehicle.

 

[lastofthepatriots]

Rhinos are of no use to humanity. They can go extinct for all that humans care.

 

[Hindustani78]

Rhinos are of no use to humanity. They can go extinct for all that humans care.

Is this the reason that no dragons are left ? Dont worry Indian Establishment will protect Rhinos, Elephants, dogs and even our water buffalos.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...n-the-state/article21378676.ece?homepage=true
Arunachal MP seeks survey on snow leopards in the state

Itanagar, December 09, 2017 11:34 IST
Updated: December 09, 2017 11:35 IST

Arunachal Pradesh Lok Sabha MP Ninong Ering has requested Union Forest Minster Harshvardhan for a survey in the state to find the number of snow leopards in the state.

The letter follows photographic evidence of the presence of snow leopards at Thembang area in West Kameng district of the mountain state recently which was yielded during a study of the elusive animal by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), India.

Mr. Ering in his letter on December 4 last also requested the Union Minister to initiate Project Snow Leopard in Arunachal Pradesh.

The letter, a copy of which was made available to the press, also sought publishing of a vision document with regard to the country’s participation in ‘The Bishkek Declaration 2017’ which seeks to conserve the snow leopard and its ecosystem.

“In Arunachal Pradesh, there is also need for extension of the area allotted to the snow leopard landscape with a plan for community participation in the surveillance process as most of the forests are community owned,” Mr. Ering said in his letter.

“While the Centre has always identified Arunachal as a snow leopard state, this is the first time that proof of their presence has been captured. This is a significant feat for our state for the presence of this carnivore is an indicator of the thriving ecology in the area,” Mr. Ering added.

The state-wide survey carried out by WWF India in collaboration with state forest department was started in March this year, focusing on unexplored areas. It had yielded photo evidence of the snow leopard through a camera trap set up at Thembang, one of the community conserved areas in the state, according to a WWF statement released in October this year.

Only a fraction of snow leopard habitats in the state fall into two protected areas - the Dibang biosphere reserve and the Namdapha National Park.

“The presence of the big cat beyond these protected areas highlights the importance of community support for conservation as well as landscape-scale conservation planning,” the WWF statement said.

The survey relied on the knowledge of the community members to understand the current distribution of snow leopards and other large mammals in the region. The state-wide survey is significant as it covers one of the 22 priority landscapes of the Global Snow Leopard Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP).

The findings of the state-wide survey will enable Arunachal Pradesh forest department to develop a snow leopard conservation plan to address increasing threats such as retaliatory killings, infrastructure development and climate change induced impacts on the habitats, the statement said.

Snow leopard, native of central and south Asia and a sacred animal in Kyrgyzstan, is listed as a vulnerable category animal in the Red List of threatened species compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...le-in-assam/story-nayJiquhTPkRMnATdnHqXP.html

Five wild elephants, including a pregnant female, were killed after being hit by a speeding train near Balipara in central Assam in the wee hours of Sunday.

The incident took place around 1.15am near Bamgaon tea estate, nearly 210 km from Guwahati, when the herd crossing the train track in search of food was hit by the 15617 Guwahati-Naharlagun Donyi Polo Express.

All the five elephants died on the spot. A stillborn calf was later extracted from the pregnant female.

The incident comes three weeks after two elephants were killed by a speeding 15909 Awadh Assam Express at Thakurkuchi, 19 km from the state capital.

“It is a very tragic incident. Our staff was focused on another herd of nearly 100 elephants in a different area and there was no information of pachyderm movement in the area where the accident took place,” Davinder Suman, divisional forest officer Sonitpur East said.

Wild elephants come out of forest around this time of the year in search of food and sometimes get hit by trains while crossing railway tracks to move towards paddy fields.

Sixteen wild elephants were killed by speeding trains in 2016. This year, a dozen have lost lives to trains.

Measures taken by the state forest department and railway authorities like increased patrolling near tracks, coordination between various departments, awareness campaigns etc. have been able to bring down number of such accidents, but failed to totally stop them.

Assam has the highest number of wild elephants in India—5,620 as per 2011 census. Increased deforestation and construction activity near their habitats force elephants to move out of reserve forests in search of food.

The state has witnessed numerous instances of human-elephant conflict as villagers sometimes resort to measures like poisoning and electrocution to save their standing crops and property.

Between 2006 and 2016, wild elephants killed 785 people in the state, while 225 pachyderms fell victim to poaching, speeding trains, poisoning, electrocution etc. between 2001 and 2014.

In a bid to reduce such deaths, recently the Northeast Frontier Railway has started experimenting with placing a device near railway tracks which amplifies buzz of bees hoping that elephants, which are scared of the stinging insects, will stay away from the tracks when they hear the sound.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/na...-assam-in-3-years-forest-minister/540727.html

Posted at: Feb 8, 2018, 4:33 PM; last updated: Feb 8, 2018, 4:33 PM (IST)
Poachers killed 74 rhinos in Assam in 3 years: Forest Minister


Guwahati, February 8

Altogether 74 rhinos were killed by poachers in Assam since 2015 and 316 poachers arrested during 2015-17, Forest Minister Pramilla Rani Brahma said in the Assembly on Thursday.

Twenty-one rhinos were killed in 2015, 22 the next year and nine last year, Brahma said in reply to a question by All-India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA Aminul Islam.

To another query, the minister said police records showed the involvement of militant outfits in poaching of the ‘Pride of Assam’, and action was taken against them under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. PTI

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/en...hield-around-assam-rhinos/article22716184.ece
The indigenously developed Ghatak will be given to forest guards to combat armed poachers who killed 30 of the animals last year
An indigenous hybrid rifle, named Ghatak for ‘deadly,’ will protect the rhino in Assam from heavily armed poachers.

The Assam Forest Department is poised to be the first non-police or non-paramilitary force to acquire the Ghatak, a multi-calibre rifle from the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). It placed orders for the weapon more than a year ago. The rifle is described as a cross between an automatic close-combat weapon such as AK-47 and a more lethal long-range firearm.

Some consignments of the rifle have been delivered to Central Paramilitary Force as well as the Assam Police. The Ghatak is yet to clear the more stringent tests of the Army, such as 18 rounds of non-stop firing, but forest officials are not worried. “Our combat situation is different from that of the Army,” they say.

Dharanidhar Boro, a highly decorated green soldier who retired in 2016 after years of fighting poachers in Kaziranga National Park, is upbeat about Ghatak’s induction. “I am not sure how good it is, but it will certainly be much better than the unwieldy 0.315 rifles with which we guarded the rhino’s best-known home,” he said from western Assam’s Manas National Park, where he is now an officer on special duty.

Poachers a step ahead
On Kaziranga, a World Heritage site established in 1905, some 230 km east of Guwahati, the veteran officer says, “We did our best to save the rhinos during our time, but the poachers are always a step ahead. It is high time our guards are equipped with weapons that deter poachers.” The national park houses more than 55% of the world’s one-horned rhinos and boasts the highest density of Royal Bengal tigers.

Forest department records say 30 rhinos have been killed in the 430 sq. km. Kaziranga and other wildlife reserves such as Orang National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary since January 2016. Six poachers were killed during this period. Cartridges recovered from rhino kill sites revealed the poachers were using AK-56 rifles, M16 and M4 carbines.

“The killing of a couple of rhinos last year made us realise that the archaic, single-shot bolt action rifles of our guards are no match for the sophisticated automatic weapons of the poachers. A decision was taken to overhaul the arsenal of our department,” Environment and Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma said.

“In March last year, we purchased an assortment of rifles from Ishapore Ordnance Factory in Kolkata. We received a few, but we are really looking forward to the Ghatak rifles,” the State’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Bikash Brahma, said.

The weapons the department bought were 272 Indian Small Arms System or INSAS assault rifle, 954 self-loading rifles or SLRs, 91 Ghatak rifles, 20 pistols (9mm), and 133 pump action guns of 12-bore.

“Our men in the field are excited about Ghatak. But it will take a great deal of adjustment from the old rifles to a hybrid one,” Kaziranga’s Divisional Forest Officer Rohini Ballave Saikia said.

Assam’s choice
Army and paramilitary forces in the militancy-hit Northeast comprising eight States do not use the Ghatak, but the Assam Police does.

On the choice of the weapon, Assam Police chief Mukesh Sahay said, “I cannot be specific about the number, but we received a small consignment a year ago. More are in the pipeline. We procure weapons based on our requirement, which primarily is counter-insurgency. We need long-range and area weapons too.”

Senior police officials, however, said Ghatak tested in a field situation because militancy has ebbed over the last 15 months.

Army officials said the initiative to make the 5.56mm-7.62mm hybrid came from the Ordnance Factory Board. Of the three prototypes made by three ordnance factories, the one developed by Rifle Factory Ishapore cleared all preliminary tests. “It fell short of the Army’s requirement, though,” an officer said, declining to be named.

The Defence Ministry has tendered for multi-calibre rifles, officials said. Among those in contention are Beretta and Colt, the latter making M4 carbines. But the Ishapore factory is keen on upgrading Ghatak.

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/en...hield-around-assam-rhinos/article22716184.ece
The indigenously developed Ghatak will be given to forest guards to combat armed poachers who killed 30 of the animals last year
An indigenous hybrid rifle, named Ghatak for ‘deadly,’ will protect the rhino in Assam from heavily armed poachers.

The Assam Forest Department is poised to be the first non-police or non-paramilitary force to acquire the Ghatak, a multi-calibre rifle from the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). It placed orders for the weapon more than a year ago. The rifle is described as a cross between an automatic close-combat weapon such as AK-47 and a more lethal long-range firearm.

Some consignments of the rifle have been delivered to Central Paramilitary Force as well as the Assam Police. The Ghatak is yet to clear the more stringent tests of the Army, such as 18 rounds of non-stop firing, but forest officials are not worried. “Our combat situation is different from that of the Army,” they say.

Dharanidhar Boro, a highly decorated green soldier who retired in 2016 after years of fighting poachers in Kaziranga National Park, is upbeat about Ghatak’s induction. “I am not sure how good it is, but it will certainly be much better than the unwieldy 0.315 rifles with which we guarded the rhino’s best-known home,” he said from western Assam’s Manas National Park, where he is now an officer on special duty.

Poachers a step ahead
On Kaziranga, a World Heritage site established in 1905, some 230 km east of Guwahati, the veteran officer says, “We did our best to save the rhinos during our time, but the poachers are always a step ahead. It is high time our guards are equipped with weapons that deter poachers.” The national park houses more than 55% of the world’s one-horned rhinos and boasts the highest density of Royal Bengal tigers.

Forest department records say 30 rhinos have been killed in the 430 sq. km. Kaziranga and other wildlife reserves such as Orang National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary since January 2016. Six poachers were killed during this period. Cartridges recovered from rhino kill sites revealed the poachers were using AK-56 rifles, M16 and M4 carbines.

“The killing of a couple of rhinos last year made us realise that the archaic, single-shot bolt action rifles of our guards are no match for the sophisticated automatic weapons of the poachers. A decision was taken to overhaul the arsenal of our department,” Environment and Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma said.

“In March last year, we purchased an assortment of rifles from Ishapore Ordnance Factory in Kolkata. We received a few, but we are really looking forward to the Ghatak rifles,” the State’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Bikash Brahma, said.

The weapons the department bought were 272 Indian Small Arms System or INSAS assault rifle, 954 self-loading rifles or SLRs, 91 Ghatak rifles, 20 pistols (9mm), and 133 pump action guns of 12-bore.

“Our men in the field are excited about Ghatak. But it will take a great deal of adjustment from the old rifles to a hybrid one,” Kaziranga’s Divisional Forest Officer Rohini Ballave Saikia said.

Assam’s choice
Army and paramilitary forces in the militancy-hit Northeast comprising eight States do not use the Ghatak, but the Assam Police does.

On the choice of the weapon, Assam Police chief Mukesh Sahay said, “I cannot be specific about the number, but we received a small consignment a year ago. More are in the pipeline. We procure weapons based on our requirement, which primarily is counter-insurgency. We need long-range and area weapons too.”

Senior police officials, however, said Ghatak tested in a field situation because militancy has ebbed over the last 15 months.

Army officials said the initiative to make the 5.56mm-7.62mm hybrid came from the Ordnance Factory Board. Of the three prototypes made by three ordnance factories, the one developed by Rifle Factory Ishapore cleared all preliminary tests. “It fell short of the Army’s requirement, though,” an officer said, declining to be named.

The Defence Ministry has tendered for multi-calibre rifles, officials said. Among those in contention are Beretta and Colt, the latter making M4 carbines. But the Ishapore factory is keen on upgrading Ghatak.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
12-February, 2018 13:36 IST
“India Among Top Ten Nations in the World in Terms of Forest Area”: Dr. Harsh Vardhan

Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala Show Maximum Increase in Forest Cover India State of Forest Report 2017 Released

Strongly emphasising the increasingly green credentials of the country, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has said that India has shown an increasing trend in the forest and tree cover, in comparison to the global trend of decreasing forest cover during the last decade. Releasing the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017 here today, Dr. Harsh Vardhan pointed out that India ranks among the top ten countries of the world in terms of forest area, despite the fact that none of the other 9 countries has a population density of more than 150 persons per sq km, compared to India, which has a population density of 382 persons per sq km. “India is ranked 10th in the world, with 24.4% of land area under forest and tree cover, even though it accounts for 2.4 % of the world surface area and sustains the needs of 17 % of human and 18 % livestock population”, the Minister said. He averred that despite such tremendous population and pressures of livestock on our forests, India has been able to preserve and expand its forest wealth. Dr. Harsh Vardhan added that as per the latest FAO report, India is placed 8th in the list of Top Ten nations reporting the greatest annual net gain in forest area.

Quoting figures from the India State of Forest Report 2017, Dr. Harsh Vardhan stated that the latest assessment shows that there is an increase of 8, 021 sq km (about 80.20 million hectare) in the total forest and tree cover of the country, compared to the previous assessment in 2015. He added that the increase in the forest cover has been observed as 6,778 sq km and that of tree cover as 1, 243 sq km. “The total forest and tree cover is 24.39 per cent of the geographical area of the country”, the Minister pointed out. He also underlined the encouraging sign that much of the increase in the forest cover has been observed in Very Dense Forest (VDF), as VDF absorbs maximum carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. “The increase in forest cover in VDF is followed by increase in open forest”, the Minister said. He also pointed out that the ISFR 2017 has been prepared with the help of scientific tools.

Giving the State-wise break-up, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that three states - Andhra Pradesh (2141 sq km), followed by Karnataka (1101 sq km) and Kerala (1043 sq km) have shown the maximum increase in forest cover. “Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover of 77,414 sq km in the country in terms of area, followed by Arunachal Pradesh with 66,964 sq km and Chhattisgarh (55,547 sq km). In terms of percentage of forest cover with respect to the total geographical area, Lakshadweep with (90.33 per cent) has the highest forest cover, followed by Mizoram (86.27 per cent) and Andaman & Nicobar Island (81.73 per cent)”, the Minister stated. Referring to the enormity of the task of preparing the State of Forest Report, the Minister said, “Work has already started for preparing ISFR 2019”.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State in MoEF&CC, Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that 18, 000 points have been physically surveyed in a scientific manner in the preparation of the report. He appealed to the society and media to help in the huge task of conserving and protecting the forests.

Addressing the gathering, Secretary, MoEF&CC, Shri C.K Mishra underlined that economic value of the forests must be realised and forests should be used economically. He emphasised that the value of forests is more for the people living in and around forests, hence the most critical issue is for whom is this exercising being conducted. Shri Mishra stated that forests do not exist in isolation and the benefits of the forests must be transferred to the people. He stressed that issues related to agro-forestry and degraded forests must be paid attention to.

The present assessment also reveals that 15 states/UT’s have above 33 per cent of the geographical area under forest cover. Out of these States and Union Territories, seven States/UTs namely Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Manipur have more than 75 per cent forest cover, while 8 states - Tripura, Goa, Sikkim, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Chhattisgarh and Assam have forest cover between 33 per cent to 75 per cent. About 40% per cent of the country’s forest cover is present in 9 large contiguous patches of the size of 10, 000 sq.km, or more.

As per the ISFR 2017, the total mangrove cover stands at 4,921 sq km and has shown an increase of 181 sq km. All the 12 mangrove states have shown a positive change in the mangrove cover, as compared to the last assessment. Mangrove ecosystem is rich in biodiversity and provides a number of ecological services.

The total growing stock of India’s forest and trees outside forests is estimated as 5,822.377 million cum, of which 4,218.380 million cum is inside the forests and 1,603.997 million cum outside. There is an increase of 53.990 million cum of total growing stock, as compared to the previous assessment. Out of this the increase in growing stock, there is an increase of 23.333 million cum inside the forest and 30.657 million cum outside the forest area. The total carbon stock in the country’s forest is estimated to be 7,082 million tonnes, which shows an increase of 38 million tonnes, as compared to the previous assessment.

The extent of bamboo-bearing area in the country has been estimated at 15.69 million ha. In comparison to the last assessment done in 2011, there has been an increase of 1.73 million ha in bamboo area. The growing stock of the bamboo in forest has been estimated to be 189 million tonnes. There is an increase of 19 million tonnes in the bamboo-growing stock as compared to the last assessment done in 2011. The total annual potential production of timer from trees outside forest has been estimated at 74.51 million cum. The Government has recently enacted a Bill in the Parliament for taking out bamboo from the tree category, where it is grown outside forest areas. This will encourage people to grow bamboo on private lands, which will be helpful in increasing the livelihood opportunities for farmers and also enhance the green cover and carbon stock of the country.

Director General, Forests and Special Secretary, Dr. Siddhanta Das, Additional Director General, Forests, Shri Saibal Dasgupta and senior and retired officers of Forest Survey of India were among those present on the occasion.

BACKGROUND:

The information given in the report will serve as an important tool to monitor the country’s forest resources and plan suitable scientific and policy interventions for its management. It will also serve as a useful source of information for the policy makers, planners, State Forest Departments, line agencies involved in various developmental works, academicians, civil society and others interested in natural resource conservation and management.

The India State of Forest Report 2017 is 15th such report in the series. In line with the Government of India’s vision of Digital India and the consequent need for integration of digital data sets, the Forest Survey of India has adopted the vector boundary layers of various administrative units upto districts developed by Survey of India along with digital open series topo sheets, bringing about full compatibility with the geographical areas as reported in Census, 2011. Forests play a vital role in water conservation and improve the water regime in the area. Considering the importance of water bodies in forest, FSI has assessed water bodies in forest cover for the decade 2005-2015. As per the assessment, there is an increase of 2,647 sq km in the extent of water bodies inside forest cover between 2005 to 2015.

The report contains information on forest cover, tree cover, mangrove cover, growing stock inside and outside the forest areas, carbon stock in India’s forests and forest cover in different patch size classes. Special thematic information on forest cover such as hill, tribal districts, and north eastern region has also been given separately in the report. The report for the first time contains information on decadal change in water bodies in forest during 2005-2015, forest fire, production of timber from outside forest, state wise carbon stock in different forest types and density classes.

The spatial information given in the report is based on interpretation of LISS-III data from Indian Remote Sensing satellite data (Resourcesat-II) with a spatial resolution of 23.5 meters. Satellite data for the entire country was procured from NRSC for the period October, 2015 – February, 2016. The satellite data interpretation is followed by rigorous ground truthing. In addition extensive ground data collected by field parties at more than 18000 points all over the country and information from other collateral sources are also used to improve the accuracy of the interpreted image.

Forest Survey of India (FSI) has been assessing the forest and tree resources of our country on a biennial basis since 1987. The results of the assessment are published in its biennial report titled “India State of Forest Report (ISFR)”.

The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan releasing the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017, in New Delhi on February 12, 2018. The Minister of State for Culture (I/C) and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma, the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri C.K. Mishra and other dignitaries are also seen.

The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan addressing at the release of the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017, in New Delhi on February 12, 2018. The Minister of State for Culture (I/C) and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma, the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri C.K. Mishra and other dignitaries are also seen

The Minister of State for Culture (I/C) and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma addressing at the release of the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017, in New Delhi on February 12, 2018. The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri C.K. Mishra and other dignitaries are also seen.

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