Despite plantation drive,Punjab’s forest cover may not increase

At the moment,Punjab has around six per cent forest cover,which is five times less against the national goal of having 33 per cent forest cover.

According to sources in the forest department,plantation of the saplings — which had been prepared in various department nurseries — has already begun in the degraded Shivalik ranges and other areas. But the government has not provided the government any new land so that the forest cover can be enhanced.

“If the government will not provide us with new land to plant the saplings,how can there be an increase of 15 per cent in the forest cover by 2020,as per the claims of the Punjab government?” asked a senior department official.

Though 6,600 hectares are being covered this year,but there have been several forests covers which were destroyed to make new roads and institutes,he added.

When contacted,Chief Conservator Forest Dr Kuldeep Kumar admitted that the ongoing plantation drive will not increase the existing forest cover,as it will only compensate the already destroyed forest cover for various development projects.

He added that the state government had recently notified a land purchase policy,under which,saplings will be planted on land purchased from farmers to compensate for the trees felled for expansion and construction of roads.

Asked whether the forest area,which was being felled for the ongoing six laning National Highway-1 project was also being compensated,Kumar said: “The department is yet to get land for the purpose from the national highway authorities.”