Bhubaneswar: According to the latest India State of Forest Report 2023, Odisha has secured the second position in the country for the highest increase in green cover within recorded forest areas.

The India State of Forest Report, published biennially by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) since 1987, offers a comprehensive evaluation of the country’s forest and tree resources. The latest report was released by Union Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday.

The report indicates that Odisha recorded an increase of 118.17 sq km of forest cover within the recorded forest area, while Mizoram topped the list with an increase of 192.92 sq km.

Karnataka recorded an increase of 93.14 sq km of forest, West Bengal (64.79 sq km), and neighbouring Jharkhand’s growth was 52.72 sq km.

In combined forest and tree cover, the state recorded a growth of 558.57 sq km and secured third position in the country.

Chhattisgarh topped the list with an increase of 684 sq km, followed by Uttar Pradesh (559.19 sq km). Rajasthan was in fourth position with a 394 sq km rise, the report added.

“With this increase, Odisha’s current forest and tree cover stood at 37.63 per cent of its total geographical area of 1,55,707 sq km. A total of 33,040.47 sq km forest cover falls under the recorded forest area, while the remaining 19,393.09 sq km is outside the recorded forest area of the state,” the report said.

Nationally, there was a net increase of 156.41 sq km in forest cover as compared to the previous assessment made in 2021.

Odisha registered a growth of 151.89 sq km, with Mizoram and Gujarat taking the first and second spots with an increase of 241.73 sq km and 180.07 sq km in forest cover, respectively.

Sharing the key findings of the report related to Odisha, former chief minister Naveen Patnaik posted on X, “Glad to share that #Odisha has emerged as the leading state in increasing green cover as per the biennial, ‘India State of Forest Report 2023’ prepared by @moefcc.” “Odisha has emerged as third leading state in increasing in forest and tree cover (559 sq km), recorded third highest increase in forest cover (152 sq km), second leading state in increasing forest cover within FRA (118.17 sq km), and third state with growing stock in agroforestry (88.53 sq km),” Patnaik wrote on X.

According to the report, Odisha was at fourth spot with a bamboo-bearing area of 12,328 sq km. Madhya Pradesh topped the list with a maximum bamboo-bearing area of 20,421 sq km, followed by Arunachal Pradesh (18,424 sq km), and Maharashtra (13,572 sq km).

(with agency inputs)