Manipur forest cover shrinks from 67.6 pc to 50 pc

Imphal, July 09: Thanks to the mass deforestation and changing demographic Structure of Manipur, the total forest cover which was once a healthy 67.6 percent of the total area of 22,327 sq kms have now shrunk to only about 50 percent. Disclosing this, a reliable source said that as per the claim of the State Government the area that comes under the Reserved Forest category is 1467 sq kms, Protected Forest 4171 sq kms while 11,780 sq kms are under the other forest. This works out to a total 17,418 sq kms of forest cover. According to information deducted from satellite pictures, Manipur is one amongst the North East States whose forest areas are shrinking by the day, said the source. Since 1999-2000 till today the forest coyer has depleted by about 10 to 15 percent, further said the source adding that the attention of the Government needs to be drawn towards this. Jhumming cultivation too should be discouraged. To illustrate his point, the source said in 1987 the forest area in Manipur was 17679 sq kms but this shrunk to 17418 sq kms in 1997. Forest in Manipur is broadly classified into 7 types, said the source. According to a report in 1995, the forest cover under Wet Temperate was 8.23 pc, Prime forest 13.86 pc, Wet Hill Forest 51.4 pc, Semi Evergreen Forest 3.66 pc, Teak Gurjan Forest 3.48 pc, Bamboo Forest 18.55 pc and Grass Forest 0.82 pc. On the other hand while the forest area here is 17418 sq kms, land under agriculture is about 338.04 sq kms, crop land 2242.72 pc, urban sites 233.13 sq kms and jhum cultivation area 2035.11 sq kms. The shrinking forest cover has also had a direct impact on the wildlife here. At Keibul Lamjao the population of Sangai now stands at 162. The populations of many other migratory birds and, rare species have been hit. Awareness campaign in conjunction with village authority in the hills has become very necessary.