Even as cataclysmic natural disasters such as floods and heatwave conditions continue to grip the country, trees continue to be cut in an indiscriminate manner.
Even as cataclysmic natural disasters such as floods and heatwave conditions continue to grip the country, trees continue to be cut in an indiscriminate manner.
According to Minister of State for Environment, Babul Supriyo, over one crore trees have been cut in India in the name of development, without taking into account the sheer number of trees destroyed by forest fires.
The Minister in a statement made in the Parliament admitted to giving permission to cut 1.09 crore trees in the 2014-2019 period.
The figures furnished by the Ministry also point to destruction and felling of 26.91 lakh trees in the last twelve months alone.
“Trees are felled for various development purposes with the permission of competent authorities in accordance with the procedure laid down in various Acts. However, the Ministry does not maintain data regarding the cutting of trees due to forest fire,” Supriyo said.
While 17.01 lakh trees have been cut in 2016-17, another 25.5 lakh in 2017-18 added to 26.91 lakh trees cut in 2018-19 towards development.
According to Minister of State for Environment, Babul Supriyo, over one crore trees have been cut in India in the name of development, without taking into account the sheer number of trees destroyed by forest fires.
The Minister in a statement made in the Parliament admitted to giving permission to cut 1.09 crore trees in the 2014-2019 period.
The figures furnished by the Ministry also point to destruction and felling of 26.91 lakh trees in the last twelve months alone.
“Trees are felled for various development purposes with the permission of competent authorities in accordance with the procedure laid down in various Acts. However, the Ministry does not maintain data regarding the cutting of trees due to forest fire,” Supriyo said.
While 17.01 lakh trees have been cut in 2016-17, another 25.5 lakh in 2017-18 added to 26.91 lakh trees cut in 2018-19 towards development.