question_answer

             A news report in the Hindu newspaper dated 20th march, 2011 says that nowadays just over one-fifth (21%) of India remains under forest cover, according to the food and agriculture organisation (FAO), but an ambitious plan hopes to bring up the forest cover percentage to 33% or one-third of the country. However that goal had been dubbed ' unrealistic' by India's then minister for environment and forests, Jairam Ramesh. What do you think of the Minister's statement ? Is the goal actually unrealistic? why?

Answer:

                  The minister's statement appears to be correct. In February 2011, the Prime Minister's council on climate change approved an 'ambitious' programme to create new forests on five million hectares of land and improve the quality of tree cover on another five million hectares over 10 years, starting in 2012. This amounts to an increase in forest area of just 3.45%, and that too in 10 years. To increase it from 21% to 33% (an increase of 12%) at the same rate will take about 35 years! Do not forget that other forces will be at work to reduce the forest cover, just like they have been doing in the recent past.