India: Maoists rebels are interfering with aforestation

‘Maoist and militant outfits systematically prevent execution and
implementation of various afforestation projects and wildlife
schemes,’ the officials said at a five-day-long conference here on
various forestry, wildlife and environmental projects and schemes.
Indian Forest Service (IFS) officials of 15 states, including the
Maoist and militancy-hit states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Orissa, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Assam and Tripura are
participating in the deliberations.

According to a home ministry
report, 13 of India’s states are affected by the Maoist violence with
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkahand the most affected
states, while Jammu and Kashmir and some north eastern states
including Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura are affected by
militancy. However, the officials are doing their best to carry on the
programmes. ‘Despite Maoist violence, the forest officials, with the
participation of people, continued the afforestation programme in
Maharastra,’ said B.R. Khaire, a senior forest official of the state.
According to the State of Forest Report-2005, which was released this
year, Maharastra has only 20 percent of its geographical area under
forest cover as against the national average of 23.41 percent. ‘Andhra
Pradesh is the worst naxalite affected state in India and the
afforestation programme has been hit,’ said Chandan Mitra, a forest
official of the state. According to Forest Survey of India (FSI)
report, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Sikkim possess the maximum
geographical area under forests with 86.93 percent and 82.31 percent
respectively. Mizoram and Manipur have more than 78 percent of their
geographical area under forests, while it is more than 60 percent in
Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Tripura.
http://www.dailytimesindia.com/2008/12/25911.htm

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