Forest Act blamed for shrinking green cover in Andhra Pradesh

Times of India , Friday, April 27, 2012
Correspondent :
HYDERABAD: Not raging fires or lack of protection, it is tribals' staking claim on forest land that has resulted in the drastic drop in Andhra Pradesh's forest cover. Hitesh Malhotra, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) and head of forest force, AP, said here on Thursday that as much as 1,65,633 claims by tribals (adding up to 4.69 lakh acres of land) had been settled over the last few years under the Recognition of Forest Rights Act (RoFR) of 2006. That apart, a whopping 10,000 hectares of forest area has fallen prey to encroachment.

"The RoFR has spelt doom for AP's forests," Malhotra said. He stressed on how - between 2009 and 2011 - the state had lost 84sq.km of forest cover to this Act. The Act allows tribals who have occupied forest land on or before December 13, 2005 to stake a claim over the plot.

The forest chief also added unregulated grazing and steep rise in the demand for wood pulp among the state's four paper mills to the list of factors responsible for loss of 281sq.km of forest land (as per the State of Forests Report 2011).

These mills, he revealed, consume as much as 22.5 lakh tonnes of pulp annually. He was speaking at an interactive session organized to discuss current developments in forest and wildlife management in the state.

However, forest officials said all possible measures were being taken to safeguard the state's green cover. There are 201 base camps spread across the state along with 86 strike force teams to combat poaching. Also, procurement of vehicles for better mobility and raising of dog squads for Red Sanders areas has been taken up to aid in the effort.

For fires, the department said it had erected close to 30 watchtowers to monitor the forests for signs of crisis. "There are more such watchtowers under construction. Also, fires only deter new growth, they do not result in loss of forest cover," Malhotra explained.

Most of what Malhotra maintains is the case has, however, been vehemently rejected by city environmentalists who complain that the department is using the RoFR Act to "cover up" its shortcomings. They alleged sheer negligence in protection of forest areas by authorities.

Questions on the tiger population in the state had officials struggling to come up with an accurate figure. While chief wildlife warden SV Kumar said that the numbers in 2011 had dropped to 72 from 105 in 2010, Malhotra put the present count in the region of 100.

"The figure, 72, is excluding tiger cubs," Malhotra quickly added. The annual tiger census in the state is likely to begin on May 1.

Further, officials raised serious concern over the widespread poaching of Red Sanders and said that every effort was being made to curb the illegal trade. At present, Kumar revealed, the state government has 8,000 tonnes of Red Sanders in its possession.

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Forest-Act-blamed-for-shrinking-green-cover-in-Andhra-Pradesh/articleshow/12887248.cms
 


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