‘Assam’s combined tree cover area lost in 20 years almost twice the size of Delhi’

GUWAHATI: Researchers have come up with the alarming find that Assam has lost around 269 thousand hectares (2,690 sqkm) of tree cover area in the last two decades (2001 to 2020), which is close to twice the size of Delhi having an area of 1,484 sqkm.
This has resulted in a significant rise in the minimum and maximum temperatures and human-animal conflict in the state.
According to a report of satellite data analysed by researchers at the University of Maryland, Karbi Anglong tops the list by losing over 97 thousand hectares followed by Dima Hasao over 63.2 thousand hectares, Sonitpur 17.4 thousand hectares, Tinsukia 13.2 thousand hectares and Kokrajhar 10.4 thousand hectares.
The state lost its highest tree cover in 2016 (25.4 thousand hectares) followed by nearly 23 thousand hectares in 2014 and 18.3 thousand hectares in 2020. The tree cover in Assam was 35% in 2000, which was 2.75 million hectares.
Environmentalist Hemen Das said, “Encroachment on forest land, rapid deforestation and urbanization have taken place on a large scale in the last two decades. The consequence of these acts can now be seen in the form of increasing temperature, man-animal conflict and floods. We are heading towards an uncertain future. It is high time for the government, environmentalists as well as the people to save the environment and ensure a safe future for the next generation.”
In Guwahati, over 300 trees felled for constructing roads
Guwahati lost 1.02 thousand hectares of tree cover from 2001 to 2020. Pointing to the felling of over 300 trees for the construction of flyovers and roads in the capital city and its adjacent Palashbari area, Das said "development at the cost of environment is worthless".
Forest department data says, 254 trees have been cut down for the construction of roads in Palashbari under Kamrup East forest division so far, while at least 12 trees have been cut down for the construction of a flyover at the Zoo road Tiniali, 54 for the construction of a flyover on GS Road in the city's Dispur area, nine trees for the construction of a foot overbridge at Mahavir Udyan in the Fancy Bazar area and six for the construction of a foot overbridge on GS Road at Khanapara. Environmentalist Anuwaruddin Choudhury said, "Development can be carried out without cutting down trees."