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Guwahati: Five northeastern states in India — Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur — are at the top of the list of states with the highest tree cover loss between 2001 to 2023, collectively accounting for 60% of the country’s total tree cover loss in the last 23 years.
According to the data from Global Forest Watch (GFW), an open-source application started by the US-based non-profit World Resources Institute (WRI), the loss of tree cover has been attributed to shifting cultivation, deforestation and encroachment.
Out of the five northeastern states, Assam experienced a substantial loss of 3240 sq km of tree cover, followed by Mizoram at approximately 3120 sq km. Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur have lost around 2620 sq km, 2590 sq km and 2400 sq km of tree cover, respectively, during the aforementioned period, raising an alarm regarding climate change in the region.
While Assam lost just over 66 sq km of tree cover in 2001, it has escalated over the years due to rapid urbanization, shifting agriculture and encroachment. The most notable loss occurred in 2016, when Assam lost 254 sq km of its tree cover. Last year, the state recorded a loss of 178 sq km of tree cover. While Karbi Anglong has lost 1190 sq km of tree cover, the highest in Assam, it is followed by Dima Hasao (800 sq km), Sonitpur (180 sq km), Tinsukia (150 sq km) and Kokrajhar (140 sq km).
“The situation is alarming. Strict govt policies are required to prevent deforestation and increase afforestation. Climate change is adversely impacting the fragile ecology,” said Hemen Lahkar, a city-based conservationist.In Mizoram and Manipur the loss of tree cover has been particularly severe since 2012.
Previously in February, Assam’s science, technology and climate change minister Keshab Mahanta had informed the assembly, during the budget session, that climate change had led to a decrease in the state’s annual rainfall by over 10mm between 1990 to 2019, negatively impacting agriculture, water resources, environment, health and biodiversity.
To counter these effects, Assam has implemented afforestation initiatives, covering an area of over 163 sq km, since 2010-11. The Assam Climate Change Management Society too has undertaken various studies to assess the impact of climate change within the state.
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