Keonjhar: Affected by the climatic changes and also due to depletion of groundwater, forest cover area and density of forests are gradually receding in Keonjhar district, a report said.
Local intelligentsia have expressed their deep concern over this growing menace over negligible outcome despite massive afforestation and forest protection programmes carried out in the district.
Sources said atmosphere here is not conducive for the types of saplings which are being planted for which survival of plants become difficult. Lack of adequate maintenance is also an important reason behind this and afforestation activity is going on in pen and paper only, sources added.
According to forest department sources, between fiscal 2000-01 to 2018-19 nearly 1,93,92,020 saplings were planted in 39,374.4272 hectares of land under the Keonjhar forest division.
For social-forestry projects, Rs 70,64,42,590 has been spent, including the afforestation activities carried out by mining companies in 14,005.9014 hectares of land towards damage repair.
Similarly, massive plantation drives were carried out along 30.44-km-long roadsides and 61,31,894 saplings have been planted with an expenditure of Rs 18,73,76,966, forest sources added.
In the Barbil area, Rs 10,75,911 was spent out of district mining foundation (DMF) funds to plant 3,000 saplings. All these efforts have resulted in marginal progress towards enhancing forest cover.
Worthy to note, out of 3,88,415.6705 hectares of various types of forestlands in the district, 23,917.2316 hectares were given on lease to different companies for carrying out mining activities.
At present, out of the above, mining activities are going on in 7,016.1922 hectares of land. Likewise, 11,080.082 hectares of reserve forest lands were leased out to the mining companies, out of which permission on mining was given for 1,061.5622 hectares.
Moreover, 1,755.702 hectares of protected forest lands have been leased out for mining activities, out of which permission on mining was given for 1,061.5622 hectares. Apart from above, 4,821.085 hectares of village forest lands have been leased out for mining activities, out of which permission on mining was given for 1,450.3704 hectares.
Furthermore, 4,923.9036 hectares of forestland declared by the district level committee (DLC) have been leased out for mining activities, out of which permission on mining was given for 1,788.7236 hectares of land, informed the forest department sources.
Excessive mining activities in Keonjhar district have given rise to substantial loss of forest cover. Many of the streams and gorges have lost their existence. Water retaining capacity of the soil in this region is also said to be decreasing gradually due to deforestation.
Notably, forests in this region earlier consisted of wide varieties of trees like sal, asan, kusum, kendu, dhaura, sishu, simili, banyan, aswatha, nim, jamun, mango, mahula and chara. In place of which, teak, acasia and eucalyptus are now being planted here.
