Fri Nov 22 04:09:02 UTC 2024: **National Green Tribunal Orders Nationwide Investigation into Tree Loss**
**New Delhi, November 22, 2024** – The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has launched a nationwide investigation into the loss of tree cover in India, ordering all states and Union Territories to submit reports detailing the extent of deforestation since 2000. The move follows a hearing on allegations of a 2.33 million hectare loss of tree cover over the past two decades.
The NGT directed the Forest Survey of India (FSI) to provide a comprehensive report on forest cover across the country, with a specific focus on the Northeast region, covering five-year intervals from 2000 to 2024. Additionally, all states and UTs have been impleaded as respondents and must submit reports detailing the current status of their forests, the causes of deforestation, and the measures taken to conserve and manage forest resources.
This action comes after recent disputes over forest cover data, with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and FSI refuting claims by Global Forest Watch of a 6% loss of forest cover since 2000. The NGT’s investigation aims to provide a clearer picture of the nationwide situation and inform future conservation efforts.
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