Mokokchung, February 3 (MTNews): India’s forest cover rose by 2,261 square kilometers in the last two years, according to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021 prepared by the Forest Survey of India and released on January 13 by theUnion Environment Minister, Bhupender Yadav. According to the biennial report, Nagaland recorded a 235 square kilometer decline in forest cover during the 2019-21 period, informed the India State of Forest Report 2021. Mokokchung Times tried to access the district wise data of the ISFR 2021 but not information was available on the official web portal of Forest Survey of India till the time of filing this report. However, data from previous biennial reports were available and it was discovered that Nagaland’s as well as Mokokchung’s forest cover had been declining overall.

According to the State of Forest Report 2011, Mokokchung’s total forest cover including very dense forest, moderately dense forest and open forest was reported to be 1,349which declined to 1,327.61 in 2019, a loss of 21.39 SqKms in just eight years. During the same period, Nagaland’s forest cover declined from 13,318 SqKms to 12,486.40 SqKms, losing 831.6 SqKms of forest cover.

The department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, government of Nagaland in its official website reports that, in the state of Nagaland, “a lion’s share of forest resources accounting/measuring 88.3% approximately is under the control of individuals and private communities and the forest department is having very limited regulations.” The department’s claim is justified as it can be evidenced that there are no government protected areas under Mokokchung district. Intanki National Park in Peren, Singphan Wildlife Sanctuary in Mon, Puliebadze Wildlife Sanctuary in Kohima and FakimWildllife Sanctuary in Shamator are the only government protected reserves in Nagaland, measuring a total area of 24,120SqKms, which accounts for just 1.45% of the state’s geographical area.

In order to increase the “Protected Area,” the State Government had notified eighteen “Community Reserves” under Section 36 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972,according to information on the department’s website. Of the eighteen notified reserves, Mopungchuket Community Reserve is the only one from Mokokchung district.

According to the Forest department, “awareness has been created with the sincere efforts of the forest department and feeling of belongingness in the minds of the people of the state is inculcated for forest and wildlife protection.”

Meanwhile, Centre on Wildlife & Protected Areas of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun lists a total of 114 “Community Reserves” in Nagaland out of which only 5 were found to be in Mokokchung district.

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