What is the cause for decrease in the forest cover in India?

INTRODUCTION :-

"it takes drop by drop to fill a pitcher and it takes tree by tree to form a forest" every single tree is important. Although India stands 10th globally for its forest cover, The carbon level is increasing day by day. As we study survey of FSI the forest cover since 1987 to 2015 we can see that till 2001 the forest cover was reducing where after 2001 it started increasing. According to recent study the forest cover of India is 7,08,273 sqkm or 24.39% of total area of India.In last 2 years it has increased by 1%,overall percentage is increasing but very dense and mid dense forests are wiping off which is matter of discussion.

CAUSES:-

1. INCREASING POPULATION: - India is 2nd most populated country hence there is no doubt it has increased need for food, shelter, other facilities and requirements. So many trees has been cut off to meet all the needs of the increasing population, to expand the land for constructions. India being country of villages it has large scale use of wood fuel, which meets 40% of energy needs of the country.
2. COMMERCIAL USE : - Trees has been cut for timber and pulp, timber being used for furniture and other goods and pulp being used for papers. For example it takes 12 trees to make 1 ton of 100% non recycled news print and India is home for 82,237 News papers we can imagine how many trees are cut daily.
3. URBANISATION &INCREASING INDUSTRIES :- With time the small villages of India are changing. well modernized and lavish buildings, concrete floors outside and fuming industries taking over small houses. lets take example of smart city projects where it will give hold on previously unused and remote areas, so many trees will be cut. As the smart city is important forests and trees are also important, lets make urban forests which will filter harmful pollutants from air and acts as carbon sink .for industries lets take example of Haryana where in last 30 years, forests nearly two third the size of Haryana have been lost in 23,716 industrial projects and encroachments, it is example of only one state we can imagine how much trees must have been cut to build industries all over India.
4. MINING:- Mining industry can be taken as independent cause out of all industries. We can take example of Mahan coal mining where the ancient Indian forests are at verge of wiping off In Madhya Pradesh. protests being made to stop it. Villagers walked towards the forests. Mining affects forest cover but also affects the lives of people who are dependent on these forests, and the gas or metals which come out of the mining, poison the surrounding trees, soil and air after which the trees eventually die.
5. EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURE:- Trees were being cut to increase the area of cultivation from years. Shifting cultivation is another cause where, after the deforestation lands are used till they loose fertility and left like that only. Slash and burn method is another thing where forests are affected in large scale, they are burnt for cultivation.
6. CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS AND RESERVOIRS:- It not only affects the lives of neighboring people but also gives hold on remote areas where several trees will be cut in order to build the roadways and expand them.
7. NATURAL DISASTERS like fire also consumes more or little amount of forests.

EFFECTS:-

1. Increase in carbon foot print
2. Loss of home to wild life.
3. Air pollution, green house effect, global warming, decreased amount of rain.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

1. Control the population, as it is said HUM DO HAMARA EK, It should be said that HUM TEEN HAMARA EK-a tree for every house
2. In agriculture we can do agroforestry, mixed cultivation.
3. Not only limiting the area of the mining but it should be brought to action.
4. Industries should sign an agreement for reforestation.
5. Alternatives for production of paper,tree free paper.

EVERY CITIZEN SHOULD PLANT A TREE IN THEIR LIFE TIME AND NURTURE IT GO GREEN

-Deepa H Kurane