Sunday, July 10 2005 16:07 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: The systematic destruction of forest coupled with a fund crunch and insufficient availability of land may create serious ecological hazards in Bihar if immediate drastic steps are not taken to speed up afforestation drive.

Just 6.87 per cent of Bihar's 94,163 sq km geographical area is under natural forests.

Out of the total geographical area, only 6,468.99 sq km can be termed as notified forest area and 40 per cent of it is degraded and denuded, principal chief conservator of forests (Bihar), B A Khan told sources.

Under the Indian Forest Policy, 1988, it was decided to have forest cover in 33 per cent of the total geographical area to maintain environmental balance by 2012 at the national level.

But the target is unlikely to be achieved in Bihar because of paucity of funds and insufficient availability of land, Khan said.

"If we have a look at the funds required for covering only 20 per cent of the total geographical area which is 18,800 sq km, the Centre and the state government will have to mop up Rs 2400 crore to achieve it by 2012," he said, adding the possibility of central and state governments meeting such huge allotment was remote.

'A third alternative is not an immediate priority.'

Asked how long the Left would support the central government, Dasgupta said "This is a question we are not going answer immediately. At the moment we are continuing to support the government to honour the electoral verdict. This experiment will continue for a period I am not specifying."

"We are also unlikely to achieve the target set for afforestation due to insufficient availability of land and non-cooperation of the people," Khan said, adding if sustained efforts were not undertaken, environmental degradation would further increase due to the pressure of population.

According to a recent census report, Bihar's total population has increased to 8.8 crore.

Stressing the need for a multi-pronged strategy for arresting the dwindling forest cover, he said the Centre had provided the state forest department Rs 51 crore under the Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojana for undertaking massive afforestation drives by planting nearly 12 lakh saplings in the next two years.

Besides, the state government had released Rs five crore for the purpose and also to undertake rehabilitation of the declared forest areas facing degradation and denudation under the plan head for 2005-06.