By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: In the bid to safeguard the forest cover of the State, the State Cabinet has approved the constitution of the Meghalaya State Forest Development Agency in accordance with the directives of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest.
Talking to media persons after the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong said the Agency would also help in the implementation of the National afforestation programme.
Chief Secretary WMS Pariat will function as the Chairman of the State Forest Development Agency.
Reacting to a query on whether this Agency would help to increase the forest cover of the State, Tynsong said, “The Agency would be responsible for sustaining the State’s forest cover.”
According to Government reports, presently the total area under forest cover in the State presently is 22,500 square kilometers with a majority of the forest land under the possession of the local communities.
“Only five per cent of the total forest cover is under the possession of Government,” Tynsong said, while speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting.
The State Forest department, earlier, maintained that the State has 75-77 per cent of its land under forest cover and in the last two years the forest cover has further increased by two per cent.
It may be mentioned that the State has eight types of forest spread over its seven districts, mainly in Garo Hills, with two national parks, three sanctuaries and one biosphere reserve.