Gaurav Gogoi urge action as Assam forest cover declines by 79 sq km

Guwahati, Jan 1: Expressing concern over the findings of the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR) which reveals a significant decline in forest cover in Assam, Deputy Leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, on Monday urged the Central government to take measures to protect the State's unique ecosystems, safeguard the livelihoods of the local communities, and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Gogoi has written a letter to the Union Minister of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, in this regard.

"I am writing to express my grave concern regarding the alarming findings of the latest ISFR which reveals a significant decline in forest cover in Assam. The report indicates a loss of 79 square km of forest cover in Assam between 2021 and 2023. This decline is deeply concerning, especially considering Assam's unique geographical and ecological significance.

Furthermore, several critical environmental issues re- quire immediate attention and corrective measures, as highlighted in recent reports and incidents across the State. These issues include deforestation, illegal activities, and concerns over un- sustainable land use practices," he stated.

He added that the ISFR has highlighted some key trends and concerns, including a decline in forest cover, threat from invasive species, risks to livelihoods, human-elephant conflict, and illegal activities.

"Assam's forests play a vital role in carbon sequestration, storing an estimated 271.37 million tonnes of car- bon. The continued loss of forest cover diminishes this carbon sink, exacerbating climate change impacts. Many local communities depend on forest resources for livelihoods, including timber ex- traction and non-timber forest products. The decline in forest cover jeopardizes these resources, leading to potential poverty and social unrest.

As forests shrink, elephants increasingly encroach on human settlements in search of food, leading to escalating conflicts and casualties. The decline in forest cover has been linked to rising illegal logging, mining, and encroachment, with the State's forests facing constant threats from such activities," Gogoi stated in his letter.

The senior Congress party leader said that there are several other pressing concerns as well including unapproved land diversions, unsustainable development plans, and illegal construction in forest areas.

Gogoi has made some recommendations to address the challenges faced by Assam's forests.

These include strengthened forest protection, com- munity-based forest management, re-evaluation of plantation programmes, stronger enforcement against illegal activities, scientifically- guided afforestation and restoration, sustainable land use and development, and research and monitoring.

"Given the urgency of these environmental issues, immediate and prioritized action is needed. I urge the Ministry to implement these recommendations swiftly," Gogoi stated in his letter to Yadav.