New Delhi: The Indian government recently came out with the Indian State Forest Report 2021and, claiming a marginal increase of 2,261 sq km in the country’s total forest and tree cover but unlike the previous years, the sector experts this time are vocal against the claims. They question the methodology with the report that counts even trees in cities and plantations as forest cover.
The experts note that the report reflects disconnects within India’s forestry sector – for example, in the report, an area recorded under forest cover, if considered applying the Forest Conservation Act 1980, the area will likely not meet the qualification of a forest.