Ranchi: In order to keep Jharkhand green, this year the forest department has set a target of planting 1 crore saplings in the state. These trees are to be planted in vacant places of public areas and forests through various institutions. With the onset of the monsoon, preparations for plantation have also started.
Jharkhand has achieved the set target in 2022 itself, according to government data under Hariyali Abhiyan of National Forest Policy 1988. Forest and plantation in Jharkhand are 33.21 percent of the total geographical area from the point of view of the state. The total forest cover (including forests) in Jharkhand is 26475 sq km.
According to the ISFR (India State of Forest Report) 2019, the medium forest area of Jharkhand has increased by 110 km. Now the total forest area has become 2261 sq km, in which 1540 sq km is forest area and 721 sq km tree area. The dense forest area has decreased in 2021 as compared to 2019. According to the ISFR report, the dense forest area in 2019 was 2603.2 sq km, while in 2021 it decreased to 2601.2 sq km.
According to the ISFR report, the forest area in Jharkhand was 29.76 percent in 2019, while it came down to 29.62 percent in 2021. Jharkhand area is 22.62 percent of the geographical area of India. In the last 22 years, about 20 crore saplings were planted, out of which only 10 crore are alive. Half i.e. 10 crore plants dried up.
Only in the last five years, 12 crore saplings were planted, of which 8 crores were spent. The cost of maintenance of one plant is 80 to 85 rupees. Shrubs also come under the forest area of Jharkhand. A total of 584.20 square meters of shrubs have been marked in 2021, while in 2019 it was about 688 square km.