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Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Nowhere to go: Shrinking habitat pushes wildlife into city's edge
Hyderabad: The increase in frequency of wild animal sightings around Hyderabad's fringes has raised an alarm among conservationists and wildlife experts. In the latest such incident, a leopard was spotted inside the high-security Greyhounds training campus in Gandipet, a forest-edged zone on the city's western periphery. This marks the third wildlife sighting in July alone and the 11th in 2025 so far — most of them involving leopards, and in some cases, tigers. Similar sightings were reported earlier this year from Manchirevula, Raviryal (inside the DRDO campus), and near Himayatsagar in Chilkur. In 2024, at least five such cases were reported. "Once considered rare, such sightings have now become rampant. There is a direct link to urbanisation and fragmentation of natural habitats," said Sumanth Bindumadhav, director of the wildlife team at Humane World for Animals India. "When the natural corridors are blocked or prey becomes scarce, animals are forced to venture into human settlements," he added. According to environmentalists, the situation has worsened due to rapid loss of green cover. According to the Indian State of Forest Report (ISFR), Telangana lost nearly 100 sq km of forest cover between 2022 and 2023. Forest patches that were once part of larger, contiguous habitats are now surrounded by highways, luxury gated communities, and commercial zones. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Do you have a mouse? Play this for 1 minute and see why everyone is crazy about it. Play Game Undo You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Realty boom Much of this transformation is concentrated in the Rangareddy district, which borders Hyderabad and has witnessed a real estate boom over the past decade. Areas such as Gachibowli, Puppalaguda, Manikonda, and Narsingi, once dominated by scrubland and forests, are now crowded with IT parks, residential towers, and resorts. Gandipet, where the recent leopard was spotted, has seen a rapid makeover with new villas, tourism projects, and commercial establishments mushrooming around Osman Sagar lake. "The destruction of forest buffers are leaving wild animals with few options. These areas were once natural transition zones between forests. Today, they are fully urbanised, forcing animals to remain locked in fragmented habitats. This also creates genetic bottlenecks," said Imran Siddiqui of the Centre for Wildlife Studies and co-founder of the Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society. According to forest dept data, the Amrabad Tiger Reserve currently houses 36 tigers, while the Kawal corridor has four to five. The state is home to 297 leopards, including 121 in Amrabad and 19 in Kawal, as per a census by Union forest ministry. "Leopards don't need large areas to hide and can survive even on small prey such as rats, unlike tigers," said Sunil Hiremath, field director of the Amrabad Tiger Reserve. "They also transition more frequently between habitats. But this is also why human-animal conflict is on the rise." This conflict is having a visible impact. The 'Status of Leopards in India' report notes a significant decline in leopard numbers — from 334 in 2018 to 297 now — across urban peripheries, driven by habitat loss, prey depletion, and poaching. "Conservation efforts must include habitat restoration, protection outside designated Protected Areas, and strong human-leopard conflict mitigation strategies," the report read. Movement in districts too The problem isn't confined to Hyderabad's western outskirts, say experts. Wildlife movements have been reported from districts like Medak, Kamareddy, and Adilabad too, often near roads, industrial zones, and mining belts. Experts say this is the result of infrastructure projects such as highways and industrial corridors slicing through forested terrain. "If green corridors connecting these forest patches aren't urgently restored, such encounters will increase, endangering both animal and human lives," said environmentalist Uday Krishna, who worked extensively at Tipeshwar Tiger Reserve. "There's a misconception that planting trees makes up for lost forests. But wild animals rely on complex ecosystems, not just tree cover," he further said. According to him, with Hyderabad expanding further through the Regional Ring Road and upcoming satellite townships, planning must integrate wildlife corridors and ecological safeguards.
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Mangroves in focus: Understanding significance, threats and conservation
UPSC Issue at a Glance is an initiative by UPSC Essentials aimed at streamlining your UPSC Current Affairs preparation for the prelims and mains examinations by focusing on issues making headlines. Every Thursday, cover a new topic in a lucid way. This week, we explain to you the mangroves from a broader perspective. Let's get started. If you missed the previous UPSC Issue at a Glance | India's Cybercrime Challenge : Rise and Response from the Indian Express, read it here. Every year, July 26 is celebrated as the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem. It was adopted during the 38th session of the general conference of UNESCO held in 2015 and is an important step towards spreading awareness about mangroves and their conservation. In this context, here is a quick look at mangrove ecosystems – from their significance to threats and conservation measures. (Relevance: UPSC Syllabus General Studies-II, III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment, Government policies and interventions for development. UPSC has previously asked questions on mangroves not only in prelims but also in Mains, thus covering this topic from a broader perspective becomes essential.) Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees and shrubs typical of estuarine and intertidal regions, meaning they grow in areas where freshwater and saltwater meet. Mangroves typically have aerial, breathing roots and waxy, succulent leaves, and are flowering plants. They thrive in high-rainfall areas (1,000–3,000 mm) with temperatures ranging from 26°C to 35°C. The unique characteristic of mangroves is the way their seeds/propagules germinate. The seeds actually germinate on the tree itself, and then fall of from the tree into the water, taking root only when encumbered by mud and sediment. This is very unique adaptation in the mangroves that helps them perpetuate in the harsh saline conditions. This phenomenon is scientifically termed vivipary. Red mangrove, avicennia marina, grey mangrove, rhizophora etc., are some common mangrove trees. Abundant in swampy and marshy areas, mangroves represent a littoral forest ecosystem, which means they thrive in saline or brackish waters in coastal regions. Mangroves in India Mangroves are distributed in 123 nations and territories mostly in the tropics and subtropics. As per the Indian State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, India's mangrove cover is around 4,992 sq. km, constituting 0.15% of the country's total geographical area. West Bengal has the largest mangrove cover in India. Gujarat comes second with an estimated area of 1,177 sq km, with mangrove forests largely located in Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Khambhat. With an estimated mangrove forests spread over 794 sq km, Kutch district has the largest mangrove area in Gujarat. Mangrove ecosystems are also found in Andhra Pradesh (Godavari-Krishna delta), Kerala, and the Andaman Islands. The Sundarbans (spread across India and Bangladesh) is the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world, while Bhitarkanika is the second largest in India. The Sundarbans National Park is a UNESCO world heritage site and is famous for the Royal Bengal tigers, Gangetic dolphins, and other flora and fauna. Bhitarkanika is renowned for its vulnerable Olive Ridley turtles and salt-water crocodiles. 'Mangroves are rare, spectacular and prolific ecosystems on the boundary between land and sea. These extra ordinary ecosystems contribute to the wellbeing, food security, and protection of coastal communities worldwide.'- UNESCO Mangrove are of profound ecological and economic significance, benefiting in multiple ways, such as: 1. Natural coastal defense (Bio-shields): Mangroves act as natural coastal guards and protectors. They are also referred to as 'bio-shields' as they mitigate the impact of strong waves and winds while guarding against coastal and soil erosion, primarily because of their roots. 2. Carbon sinks: Mangroves act as essential carbon sinks (absorb more carbon than they release) and are helpful in mitigating global warming. According to UNESCO, 'One hectare of mangrove can store 3,754 tons of carbon it's the equivalent of taking 2,650+ cars off the road for one year.' Mangrove trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere and deposit it in the soil, where the carbon can remain for thousands of years if undisturbed. Mangroves behave differently from other trees that also remove CO2 as part of the photosynthesis process — the latter store the carbon in their branches and roots but, when the tree dies, the carbon is released back into the air. Mangroves, on the other hand, transfer the carbon to the soil, where it stays unaffected even if the tree is destroyed. 3. Economical Significance: Since mangroves are found in coastal regions, they are also a source of livelihood for coastal communities. Fisherwomen and farmers depend on the wide variety of ecological wealth mangroves offer. Fish farming, non-timber forest produce, honey collection, and boating are some local occupations on which locals depend. Additionally, different varieties of fish, shrimps, prawns, and plants thrive in mangrove forests supporting the blue economy. 4. Supports biodiversity: These mangroves are rich in biodiversity. They support complex communities, where thousands of other species interact. They provide a valuable nursery habitat for fish and crustaceans; a food source for monkeys, deer, birds, even kangaroos; and a source of nectar for honeybees. More than half of the world's mangrove ecosystems are at risk of collapse, with nearly one in five facing severe risk, according to the findings of the first global mangrove assessment. According to UNESCO, despite the multifaceted significance of Mangroves, they are disappearing three to five times faster than overall global forest losses, with serious ecological and socio-economic impacts. Current estimates indicate that mangrove coverage has been divided by two in the past 40 years. Deforestation, pollution and dam construction pose a serious threat to mangroves, but the risk to these ecosystems is increasing due to sea-level rise and the increased frequency of severe storms due to climate change. Global warming and sea-level rise may lead to increased submergence of the mangroves and studies have shown that mangroves are pushed towards land due to sea-level rise over the period of time. However, landward movement is limited by human settlements and other industrial activities. Therefore, mangroves may be squeezed to a level where their conservation and restoration may not be possible. Notably, climate change threatens one-third (33 per cent) of the mangrove ecosystems, according to the study done using the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Ecosystems — a global standard for measuring the health of ecosystems. The assessment finds that maintaining mangrove ecosystems across the globe will be key for mitigating the impacts of climate change, with healthy mangroves able to better cope with sea level rise and offering inland protection from the impacts of hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones. Mangroves face immense threats from rampant urbanisation, depletion of coastal land systems because of agriculture, shrimp farming, and other dangers from rising sea temperatures. Unsustainable tourism practices also affect these vulnerable ecosystems. However, increasingly, the protection of mangroves as a strategy for climate change-oriented action is gaining popularity. Some global efforts include Mangroves for the Future (MFF) and Mangroves Alliance for Climate. In India, initiatives and schemes such as the MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes), Amrit Dharohar, West Bengal's Sustainable Aquaculture In Mangrove Ecosystem (SAIME) and the Andhra Pradesh's Vana Samrakshana Samitis, and the Green Tamil Nadu Mission are some examples. At the 27th Session of Conference of Parties (COP27, held in Egypt last year, the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) was launched to unite countries, including India, 'to scale up, accelerate conservation, restoration and growing plantation efforts of mangrove ecosystems for the benefit of communities globally, and recognise the importance of these ecosystems for climate change mitigation and adaption'. MFF is a unique partner-led initiative to promote investment in coastal ecosystem conservation for sustainable development. Co-chaired by IUCN and UNDP, MFF provides a platform for collaboration among the many different agencies, sectors and countries which are addressing challenges to coastal ecosystem and livelihood issues. It initially focused on the countries that were worst affected by the tsunami -- India, Indonesia, Maldives, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Thailand. More recently it has expanded to include Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan and Vietnam. Mangroves are the flagship of the initiative, but MFF is inclusive of all types of coastal ecosystems, such as coral reefs, estuaries, lagoons, sandy beaches, seagrasses and wetlands. 'Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)' was announced in the Union Budget 2023-24 to promote and conserve mangroves as unique, natural eco-system having very high biological productivity and carbon sequestration potential, besides working as a bio shield. It was launched by Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change on 5th June 2023. However, beyond these initiatives, it is also required to create awareness, strengthen legal frameworks, increase collaborations between various countries, incorporate best practices from each other, and conduct scientific studies with a focus on understanding mangrove mechanisms to adapt to changing climatic regimes, especially fluctuating salinity of the sea, the decline in freshwater to the estuaries, and rising global temperatures. It is essential to identify the regional conservation bottlenecks to devise better strategies for their conservation. A common global strategy with set goals must be devised to save our mangroves for a better and sustainable future. Prelims (1) Which one of the following regions of India has a combination of mangrove forest, evergreen forest and deciduous forest? (UPSC CSE 2015) (a) North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (b) South-West Bengal (c) Southern Saurashtra (d) Andaman and Nicobar Islands (2) With reference to the mangroves, consider the following statements: 1. They act as a buffer between the ocean and the land. 2. They prevent erosion by absorbing wave action. 3. Mangroves require carbon dioxide for their roots to survive. 4. Pichavaram Mangrove Forest is located in West Bengal. How many of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (3) With reference to the Sundarbans mangrove forest, consider the following statements: 1. It lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal. 2. It is a World Heritage site which was inscribed in 1987. 3. It lies on the India-Myanmar border. 4. It is the world's second-largest contiguous mangrove forest. How many of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four Mains Discuss the causes of depletion of mangroves and explain their importance in maintaining coastal ecology. (UPSC CSE 2019) (Sources: Mangroves: Ecology, economy, and a boat ride in Pichavaram, How mothers built a forest in world's largest delta, What happens if all mangroves are destroyed?, Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for July 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
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Business Standard
08-07-2025
- General
- Business Standard
Mission Green: UP to plant record 37 crore saplings in one-day green push
Uttar Pradesh is gearing up for a record-breaking green mission this Wednesday — and it's bigger than ever. In an ambitious statewide drive, the state plans to plant a staggering 37 crore saplings in a single day, surpassing last year's tally by 2 crore. From dense forests to urban pockets, all 75 districts will come alive with millions of hands digging, planting, and greening the earth — making this one of the largest afforestation efforts in the world. In preparation for the mega plantation drive, the forest department has already finished soil work at nearly 9,000 sites a week in advance. Meanwhile, around 26 other departments are wrapping up groundwork across more than 1.5 lakh locations. In Lucknow alone, 78 spots have been earmarked for the plantation effort. According to forest officials, a one-hectare plot will typically have 1600 seedlings planted. To commemorate the event, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will plant seedlings at Ayodhya and Azamgarh. Starting at 6 a.m., the massive plantation drive will go on until the end of the day. UP govt 'state's green cover' The mega plantation drive's mission director, Deepak Kumar, said that volunteers, forest and other department employees will plant seedlings in pits and quickly fill the surrounding soil to ensure the saplings remain sturdy. The officer stated, 'The soil work has been done at plantation locations. Also, saplings have reached the plantation locations.' Arun Kumar Saxena, U.P.'s forest, environment and climate change minister, on Monday, stated, 'This year, we have raised the target by two crore saplings. This is because the increase in plantations in previous years gave rise to the green cover by over 3 lakh acres. Our green cover is now at 9.96% of the total geographical area, and Uttar Pradesh is ranked second among states where the forest and tree cover has gone up, as per India State of Forest Report (ISFR)-2023'. UP govt 'state's green cover': Insights Over 204.92 crore saplings were planted throughout the state between 2017 and 2024. 1.14 crore saplings will be planted by the forest department alongside roadsides. Along the state and Bundelkhand expressways, the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority will plant 250,000 trees, totalling 1.2 lakh. According to the ISFR-2021 report, the forest cover of U.P. increased by 118.43 sq km to 15,045.80 sq km (6.24%) from 14,927.37 sq km (6.20%). In the 2021 report, the state's tree cover was 8,510.16 sq km (3.53%); however, in the 2023 report, it was 8,950.92 sq km (3.72%). 60,182 public representatives, 3.4 crore students, 2.24 crore farmers, 13, 44,558 government workers, 4,69,900 advocates, 27,270 non-profit organisations, and 15,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) will be among the participants. There are 146 nurseries and 44 lakh saplings in the horticulture department, and 1901 nurseries and 47.27 crore saplings in the forest department. Among other things, there are 3.17 crore saplings and 484 private nurseries. UP govt 'state's green cover': Riverbanks saplings Along the Ganga, Yamuna, Gomti, Ken, and Betwa, the forest department plans to plant over 3.5 crore seedlings. In order to improve green cover, reduce pollution, preserve soil, and encourage groundwater recharge, the initiative will cover a 5-kilometre area on either side of these rivers. Planting trees along riverbanks will be essential to lowering soil erosion and guaranteeing more fluid river flow. The comprehensive plan from the forest department states that 23,772.45 hectares will be covered in total. With 9,678,330 saplings, the Yamuna River will have the most, followed by the Ganga with 5,480,994 and the Betwa with 5,061,251. Along the Saryu/Ghaghara, Gomti, Sai, Ken, Rapti, Son, Ramganga, Chhoti Gandak, Chambal, and Hindon rivers, extensive crops are also planned. About Heritage Tree Adoption Scheme Under the Heritage Tree Adoption Scheme, 948 century-old trees have been preserved and cared for throughout Uttar Pradesh. The ecological, cultural, and historical significance of these heritage trees, which represent 28 species and are dispersed throughout all 75 districts, has been acknowledged. Prayagraj (53), Hardoi (37), Ghazipur (35), and Unnao (34), in order of the number of heritage trees, are Varanasi (99). In addition to rare trees like Adansonia and Pilu, the list features venerated species like the Banyan (363 trees), Peepal (422 trees), Mango, Arjun, Shami, and Neem. How to join in & upload your plantation pic? The public can also participate in the mission. After planting a sapling, simply: Visit or this portal Enable GPS to geotag the location Upload your photo as proof of participation This digital log will help monitor and celebrate the mass movement.
Hindustan Times
08-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Mission Green: Uttar Pradesh aims to plant 37 crore saplings in a day on July 9
Uttar Pradesh will push its limits on Wednesday by planting 37 crore (370 million) saplings in a single day, two crore more than in 2024, across all 75 districts of the state. Forest and other departmental staff, besides volunteers, will place saplings in pits and swiftly fill the soil around the pits to make the saplings stand firm, an officer explained. (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE) The forest department alone completed advanced soil work at about 9000 locations a week before the drive. About 26 other departments are in the final stages of completing the work at an estimated over 1.5 lakh sites. Lucknow has 78 plantation sites. Forest officials said on average, 1600 saplings will be planted in a one hectare area. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath will plant saplings in Ayodhya and Azamgarh to mark the occasion. The mega plantation drive will begin at 6am and continue till the end of the day. 'The soil work has been done at plantation locations. Also saplings have reached the plantation locations,' said Deepak Kumar, mission director for the mega plantation drive. Forest and other department staff, besides volunteers, will place saplings in pits and swiftly fill the soil around the pits to make the saplings stand firm, the officer explained. Placed in biodegradable packs, the saplings need to be put inside the pits and have the roots covered with soil. 'This year, we have raised the target by two crore saplings. This is because the increase in plantation in previous years gave rise to the green cover by over 3 lakh acres. Our green cover is now at 9.96% of the total geographical area and Uttar Pradesh is ranked second among states where the forest and tree cover has gone up, as per India State of Forest Report (ISFR)-2023,' said Arun Kumar Saxena, U.P's forest, environment and climate change minister, on Monday. Between 2017 and 2024, more than 204.92 crore saplings were planted across the state. U.P's forest cover reached 15,045.80 sq km (6.24%), an increase of 118.43 sq km from 14,927.37 sq km (6.20%) recorded in ISFR-2021 report. The tree cover of the state was recorded at 8,950.92 sq km (3.72%) in the 2023 report while it was at 8,510.16 sq km (3.53%) in the 2021 report. The participants will include 60,182 public representatives, 3.4 crore students, 2.24 crore farmers, 13,44,558 government employees, 4,69,900 advocates, 27,270 voluntary organizations and 15,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). The forest department has 1901 nurseries and 47.27 crore saplings, the horticulture department has 146 nurseries and 44 lakh saplings. There are 484 private nurseries and 3.17 crore saplings available among others. The forest department will plant 1.14 crore saplings along roadsides. The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority will plant 250,000 saplings along state expressways and Bundelkhand Expressway (1.2 lakh saplings). Ministers to plant saplings across state Ministers will lead the campaign across all 75 districts while senior administrative officers have been designated as district nodal officers for the mega plantation drive. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath will lead the plantation drives in Ayodhya and Azamgarh, accompanied by forest minister (Independent Charge) Dr Arun Saxena and minister of state for forests KP Malik. Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak will plant saplings in Lucknow. Governor Anandiben Patel will participate in the campaign from Barabanki. Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya will be in Meerut. Cabinet ministers, ministers of state (Independent Charge), and ministers of state will lead the initiative across all 75 districts. Key assignments include cabinet ministers Suresh Khanna in Shahjahanpur, Surya Pratap Shahi in Ayodhya, Swatantra Dev Singh in Gorakhpur, Baby Rani Maurya in Aligarh, Chaudhary Laxmi Narayan in Mathura, Jaiveer Singh in Mainpuri, Dharampal Singh in Bareilly, Nand Gopal Gupta 'Nandi' in Prayagraj, Anil Rajbhar in Azamgarh, Rakesh Sachan in Kanpur Dehat, AK Sharma in Jaunpur, Yogendra Upadhyay in Agra, Ashish Patel in Mirzapur, Dr Sanjay Nishad in Ambedkar Nagar, Om Prakash Rajbhar in Ghazipur, Dara Singh Chauhan in Deoria, Sunil Kumar Sharma in Ghaziabad, and Anil Kumar in Bijnor. Among ministers of state (independent charge) Kapil Dev Agarwal will be in Muzaffarnagar, Ravindra Jaiswal in Varanasi, Sandeep Singh in Etah, Gulab Devi in Sambhal, Girish Yadav in Pratapgarh, Dharamveer Prajapati in Jhansi, Asim Arun in Kannauj, J.P.S. Rathore in Moradabad, Dayashankar Singh in Ballia, Narendra Kashyap in Hapur, Dinesh Pratap Singh in Rae Bareli, and Dayashankar Mishra 'Dayalu' in Chandauli. 3.5 crore saplings along riverbanks The forest department aims to plant around 3.5 crore saplings along major rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, Gomti, Ken and Betwa. The campaign will span a 5-km stretch on either side of these rivers and is intended to enhance green cover, control pollution, conserve soil, and promote groundwater recharge. According to the forest department's detailed plan, a total of 23,772.45 hectares will be covered. The Yamuna river will see the highest number of saplings planted—9,678,330—followed by the Ganga with 5,480,994 saplings and the Betwa with 5,061,251. Large-scale plantations are also planned along the Saryu/Ghaghara, Gomti, Sai, Ken, Rapti, Son, Ramganga, Chhoti Gandak, Chambal, and Hindon rivers. Tree plantation along riverbanks will play a crucial role in reducing soil erosion and ensuring smoother river flow. Heritage trees Uttar Pradesh has protected and nurtured 948 century-old trees under the Heritage Tree Adoption Scheme. These heritage trees, spanning 28 species and spread across all 75 districts, have been recognised for their ecological, cultural and historical significance. Varanasi leads with 99 heritage trees, followed by Prayagraj (53), Hardoi (37), Ghazipur (35), and Unnao (34). The list includes revered species like the Banyan (363 trees), Peepal (422 trees), Mango, Arjun, Shami, and Neem, as well as rare trees such as Adansonia and Pilu. Some iconic trees include the mother trees of Dussehri mango (Lucknow) and Langra mango (Varanasi), the famous Bachan Tamarind of Fatehpur, the Bodhi tree of Sarnath, Peepal associated with the freedom struggle at Shahjahanpur's Ordnance Cloth Factory, Akshayvat tree inside Prayagraj Fort, Pilu tree in Ter Kadamba (Mathura), and Banyan trees in Gorakhnath temple (Gorakhpur), Janaki Kund (Chitrakoot), and Valmiki Ashram (Unnao). 38.71 lakh saplings to be planted in Lucknow Divisional forest officer (Awadh range) Sitanshu Pandey said that the state capital has 78 plantation sites where 38.71-lakh saplings will be planted on July 9. The department has deployed 300 staff apart from the volunteers from various segments. Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak will plant sapling at one of the locations during the day. How to upload your photograph While the forest and other departments will plant saplings and upload photographs, even common people can do the same. People can upload plantation photos on or or by scanning the QR code. To geo-tag the images, participants must enable GPS on their mobile phones. These images will serve as a digital record of people's participation.
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Prove that Forest Rights Act is responsible for ‘negative' change to forest cover, Tribal Affairs Ministry tells Environment Ministry
A little over six months after the India State of Forest Report (2023) was released, which attributed 'negative' change in forest and tree cover to the implementation of Forest Rights Act (FRA) among other factors, the Tribal Affairs Ministry has asked the Environment Ministry to provide evidence for this claim. The Tribal Affairs Ministry, which is the nodal Ministry for the implementation of FRA, further said that making such claims without 'adequate scientific evidence' may reinforce stereotypes among State, District, and Forest administrations 'that could undermine the rights vested under the Act, as well as the effectiveness of the implementation'. The Ministry has requested a 'detailed scientific analysis' for the claim 'with valid instances through ground truthing as the report mentions'. A senior government official told The Hindu, 'The ISFR is meant to be a very detailed and scientific study of forests. If such claims are made, the purpose is to find out what evidence supports it. That is why this communication has been issued.' After letter from activists The Ministry of Tribal Affairs' communication, dated July 2, comes days after over 150 forest rights and civil society groups wrote to the Union government, taking issue with the ISFR's attribution of 'negative' change in forest cover partly to the implementation of FRA. They had also pointed out that this claim had been repeated by Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav in a media interview in June this year. Former Environment Minister and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who had amplified the civil society groups' letter, shared the Tribal Affairs Ministry's communication on social media on Saturday (July 5, 2025) as well. The Tribal Affairs Ministry, in its communication, said that the FRA 'does not deal with regularisation of encroachments'. 'Instead, it acknowledges pre-existing rights that are already being exercised by eligible individuals and communities dwelling in forest areas. Beyond securing the tenure of the existing forest dwellers, FRA does not create any new rights that could potentially affect the ecological balance within protected areas,' it said. In the communication, which has been marked to the Environment Ministry's Secretary, the Tribal Affairs Ministry's FRA Division has also referred to the media interview that was flagged by the civil society groups. It noted that the ISFR 2023, in the chapter on Change in Forest and Tree Cover, has two sections — one on 'positive' changes and another on 'negative' changes. In the report, under the possible reasons for 'negative' changes, the Environment Ministry lists 'titles given to beneficiaries under the Forest Rights Act (2006)' as one of them. According to a review of the last five ISFRs published by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) in the last decade, this is the first time, titles under FRA have been included in this list explicitly. The point on FRA as one of the reasons for 'negative' change to forest cover was reiterated by Mr. Yadav in an email interview with a daily newspaper. Notably, the Environment Ministry had denied allegations made against it by the civil society groups in a detailed statement posted on social media on Thursday (July 3, 2025). The statement had come after Mr. Ramesh had posted the civil society groups' letter on social media. In the statement, the Environment Ministry had claimed that the Minister's interview remarks were taken out of context. It had gone on to assert that that ISFR 2023 had recorded a 'substantial increase in forest and tree cover', which it said was 'suggestive' of community involvement in forest management. 'The inference drawn is contrary to the factual position and totally devoid of merit,' it had said. However, in the interview of Mr. Yadav, he was quoted as saying: 'Although there is a net increase in dense forests in the country, there are areas where the dense prime forests have been affected with degradation.' Mr. Yadav, in the interview, goes on to list possible reasons for this, including 'titles given under Forest Rights Act (2006)'.
