The whitewashing of the Green India Mission forest expansion initiative
Summary
India aimed to increase its forest areas through the Green India Mission but has fallen short by over 97%, according to government auditors. Despite official claims of forest growth, independent reports find forest cover is smaller or declining, partly due to land cleared for development projects like mining, roads, and large infrastructure.Key Facts
- The Green India Mission promised to expand forest cover starting in 2014 but showed almost no progress by recent government audits.
- Government reports claim forest cover has increased since 2021, but independent studies dispute this and report declines.
- Some discrepancies come from counting orchards, rubber, coconut, and plantation trees as forests.
- India approved the clearing of forest land equal to the size of Hong Kong over five years for development, with mining causing the most forest loss.
- Madhya Pradesh has had the largest amount of forest land cleared, followed by Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh.
- Mining in central India has harmed water bodies, soil, and natural ecosystems beyond just cutting trees.
- The Great Nicobar Project will clear over 13,000 hectares of forest and cut down around 700,000 trees for a port, airport, and township in a protected area.
- The project is part of India’s plan to boost its strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
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