Forest Accounts 33.50 Per Cent of Total Geographical Areas of Odisha, Says Minister

Bhubaneswar: Around 52156 sq km area of a total 1,55,707 sq km geographical area of Odisha is covered under forest, stated Forest and Environment Minister Pradip Kumar Amat in the Assembly on Tuesday.

While replying to a question in the House, the Minister said that as per the Forest Survey of India report-2021, the forest constituted 33.50 per cent of the total geographical area of the state which is more than the national average of 21.71 per cent.

The forest cover in the State has increased by 537 sq km during the last two years because of the plantation drive launched by the Government, he said.

From 2018-19 to 2022-23, the government launched a plantation drive in 52022.71 hectares under both State and Central government-sponsored schemes, revived forest cover in 434111.64 hectares, made roadside plantation in 20032.15 hectares and 30.04 lakh hectares urban plantation for Rs 12.46 crore.

The State Government has taken various steps including deployment of fire teams, sensitising the people living close to the forest about the ferocity of forest fire, providing incentives to the villagers, using fire extinguisher machines and punishing people for setting fire to forests to prevent the forest fires, the Minister added.