Forest dept planted 15 cr saplings in last 5 years

The Forest department in the last five years, under various programmes, has planted more than 15.77 crore saplings across the state.

The department has claimed that nearly 67% to 70% of them have survived.

However, according to the Forest Survey of India (FSI) report of 2021, Karnataka improved its forest cover from 20.11% in 2019 to 20.19% in 2021. Between these two years, the department planted nearly 10.23 crore saplings.

Environmentalists have questioned the claim of survival of such a huge number of saplings. “Karnataka would have become an Amazon forest if such a large number of saplings have survived for five to six years. On the contrary, one can see large tracks of forest lands being encroached by farmers and converted into fields,” said a wildlife conservationist who did not wish to be named.

The new Congress government intends to plant another 25 crore saplings in the next five years.

If one goes by the documents provided by the department, Karnataka’s forest area should have grown by nearly 2,470.32 sqkm in the last five years. However, as per the satellite survey conducted by the FSI, the total green cover increased by just 155 sqkm.

Between 2019 and 2021, the state added 32 sqkm of very dense forest, lost nearly 63 sqkm of moderately dense forest and added 186 sqkm of open forest.

The Forest department has planted over 110 varieties of saplings depending on the feasibility. While eucalyptus has not been planted, acacia and other plants that provide timber and firewood have been planted.

Documents show that a majority of the plantation work was carried out in Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Kanara, Hassan, Kodagu, Mysuru and Shivamogga Circles. However, the survival rate of these saplings is higher in the Western Ghats circle and least in arid and plain lands of the state.

The Karnataka Monitoring and Evaluation Authority, the watchdog of the government that monitors the spending of the department on projects above Rs 1 crore, has vetted the survival rate in its 2021 report.

Speaking to DH, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Development) Brijesh Kumar Dikshit said every year nearly 20 lakh to 30 lakh trees die --- fall or are cut by all the divisions and corporations of the Forest Department for various purposes. “Copious rain that lashed over the state for the last 4 years has helped the survival of saplings. While the plantation activities taken up in Kalaburagi or the plain lands may not have survived due to deficiency of water, those planted in the Western Ghats have prospered.”

Ananth Hegde Ashisara, former chairman of Karnataka Biodiversity Board, said the main purpose of the Forest department should be to
protect the existing forest cover by preventing encro- achment. “The department should concentrate on improving green cover on barren lands, roadsides and other areas.”