State witnesses increase in forest cover

SHILLONG: At a time when the country and the other North Eastern states are bearing the brunt of rapid urbanization, Meghalaya has witnessed an increase in forest cover.
The total forest and tree cover in Meghalaya stands at 79 per cent of the state’s geographical area and according to sources the survey conducted by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) in 2013 shows that the forest cover in the state has increased by a small 13 sq km.
Reacting to a query, sources said that though industrialization has not happened on a large scale but forest resources have felt the pressure from mining and quarrying activities. According to sources, there are sufficient legal safeguards in place to save the forest against these pressures and there are stringent requirements for getting Forest Conservation Act clearances and environment clearances without which projects cannot take off.