Under fire

TREE-felling has evolved into a big business involving mafia, guns and lots of
money, says a parliamentary report
released on March 13. Rising population, mining, i,ndustrialisation, construction of highways and other
development activities have left only 20
per cent of the.Indian land mass under
green cover, according to the 30th
report of the parliamentary standing
committee on science and technology,
environment and forests.

In the north-east, 6,35,oo ha of
forest cover has been lost. The report
has pointed out the involvement of
forest officials in aiding the timber
mafia. Encroachments have also been
responsible for deforestation. No
regular evaluation is done regarding
loss of forests due to fires and treefelling. The involvement of tribals
and local people in forest management
has been appreciated and encouraged in
the report.