New Delhi: For the first time in a decade, the capital has lost forest cover.
Maybe just less than half a square kilometer, but it has happened when most of the states and union areas have shown an increase in forest cover as a whole.
The Indian report forest survey released on Thursday showed that Delhi has lost 0.44 Km square forest cover since 2019.
According to India – State of Forest Report 2021, Geographical Delhi’s expanse of 1,483 square kilometers of 35 square kilometers, in short 195.44 Km Square three years ago.
At 13.2% of the total geographical territory, capital forest cover was less than the national average of 21.7%.
However, not all are lost.
Increased tree cover (outside of forest areas) has emerged as a silver layer.
According to the report, the tree cover in Delhi rose from 129 Km square 2019 to 147 Km square in 2021, the highest all time since 2011.
Connecting the loss of forest cover for legal logging for development, a forest official said, “Yes, forest cover slightly reduced But the quality of the forests has increased.
Simply dense forests have increased and open forest systems are slightly thinning city.
Delhi overwhelmed by pollution and protecting the forest cannot be negotiated.
Authorities must find ways and means to ensure that the loss of forest cover is not only captured but more green cover is added in the coming years.
The government was carried out too patting himself on what had been obtained.
Minister of Environment Gopal Rai said, “Delhi’s green cover has increased from 21.9% to 23.1% of its geographical territory.
The State Government aims to plant 33 lakh tillers in March 2022.
Under the leadership of the Minister of Chief Arvind Kornwal, Delhi has become The first city has a tree transplant policy where trees that are removed are transplanted with simultaneous replacement by 10 new trees.
“However, in the midst of the fact that the forest cover has been lost even though the tree cover has increased is concern for some ecologists who do not feel this is Celebration issues.
According to experts, Delhi has lost most of whatever “true forest” and the remaining patches are “filled with invasive species”.
CR Babu, Professor of Emeritus University of Delhi and Head of the Ecosystems Management Center for relegation, “In addition to the biodiversity park, Delhi does not have a forest.
True forest must have a distinctive structure, such as top tree cover with trees that define canopies, tall trees and scrubs, or scrubs, or Land-based vegetation.
Most such forests have disappeared from Delhi, except for a few patches, which are full of strange vylayati or prosopis Juliflora.
“He held changes in land use and forest transfer for infrastructure development for the reasons for the cover of the city forest shrinking.
“A city must have forest cover that is good for environmental sustainability,” said Babu.
“More forest cover means fewer air pollution, better ground water refills.
Unfortunately, except for the biodiversity park and the ridge of colonies, Delhi has nothing.
Even the land here is often transferred to build housing colonies and other infrastructure .
“Ecologists and Pradip Tree experts Krishen also believe Delhi forests suffer from a qualified crisis.
“The outskirts of the road or park do not consist of forests.
True afforestation is a big failure because no one cares what is planted and where.
SFI data also does not distinguish between tree quality,” Krishen said.
“More than 90% of the full middle ridge With Kikar and now even worse, subabules or leucaena leucocephala, which is good for nothing.
We need to distinguish what our overall green cover consists of.
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