Depleting J&K forests a concern: Experts

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 10

As the effect of global warming is taking a toll on the environment leading to an increase in temperature and shortage of potable water, the depleting forest cover in Jammu and Kashmir is being considered the main cause of global warming in this part of the world.

At present, J&K is having only 13.09 per cent area of its total geographical area under forest cover which also includes tree cover outside the forest area.

The total geographical area of Jammu and Kashmir is 2,22,236 sq km whereas the total forest cover, including trees outside forest area, is only 29,089 sq km.

As per the official data of the Jammu and Kashmir Government, forest cover in Jammu and Kashmir is 22,539 sq km which is 10.14 per cent of the total geographical area whereas the tree cover outside the forest area is 6,550 sq km which is 2.95 per cent of the total geographical area of the state.

The data includes 1,20,848 sq km area falling in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) where the total forest cover is 6,483 sq km.

Environmentalists believe the reckless felling of trees, which started after 1947, is the main reason behind depleting forests and it is contributing to global warming and other related impacts.

“Before 1947, forests of Jammu and Kashmir were very dense and those of Doda district were considered the best in Asia. Earlier, there used to be demarcation of villages and forest areas and the in-between area was called the buffer zone. But when the forest department opened different divisions, felling of the green gold started unabated,” said Bhushan Parimoo, an environmentalist who has worked tirelessly to stop deforestation in the state.

“The deforestation led to depletion of wetlands and other sources of water started to dry up. No new trees were planted and the situation is that we don’t have deodar and kail trees in forests,” he said. He blamed the nexus between the government and forest mafia for felling of trees for personal gains.