News Analysis India

Tag: Himalayan states

  • Forest cover down in 10 out of 13 Himalayan states: Report

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  According to India State of Forest Report (ISFR), there is an overall increase in forest cover of the country by 5,516sq.km between ISFR 2017 and ISFR 2021. Some states have shown an increase in forest cover, while others have shown a decline.

    Meanwhile, in 13 Himalayan states, only three states’ forest areas increased in the last ten years between 2011 and 2021. These states are West Bengal (61 sq. km), Himachal Pradesh (764 sq.km) and Jammu Kashmir (5,331sq.km).  

    However, the rest of the 10 states that have seen a reduction in forest areas are Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Ladakh. The total cumulative forest area reduction in all 13 states is from 222,534 sq. km to 219,866 sq.km.

    Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has tabled the information in the Rajya Sabha. He said the increase in forest cover may be attributed to conservation measures, enhanced protection measures in the plantation as well as in traditional forest areas, expansion of Tree Outside Forest. 

    NEW DELHI:  According to India State of Forest Report (ISFR), there is an overall increase in forest cover of the country by 5,516sq.km between ISFR 2017 and ISFR 2021. Some states have shown an increase in forest cover, while others have shown a decline.

    Meanwhile, in 13 Himalayan states, only three states’ forest areas increased in the last ten years between 2011 and 2021. These states are West Bengal (61 sq. km), Himachal Pradesh (764 sq.km) and Jammu Kashmir (5,331sq.km).  

    However, the rest of the 10 states that have seen a reduction in forest areas are Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Ladakh. The total cumulative forest area reduction in all 13 states is from 222,534 sq. km to 219,866 sq.km.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has tabled the information in the Rajya Sabha. He said the increase in forest cover may be attributed to conservation measures, enhanced protection measures in the plantation as well as in traditional forest areas, expansion of Tree Outside Forest. 

  • Uttarakhand tops list of Himalayan states in environmental crimes

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: The state tops the list of Himalayan states in the field of environmental crimes. Among the 13 Himalayan states in the country, the highest violation of environmental rules has taken place in Uttarakhand.

    The state has recorded the highest number of cases of cigarettes and other tobacco products act under the law. Their number is 850. While only 14 cases of violations were registered in UP and 46433 cases of violations in the country were registered in Tamil Nadu. That is, cigarettes and tobacco were consumed the most in public places here. While 53 cases of the FC Act came in Uttarakhand, nine cases came from Wildlife Act.

    The National Crime Records Bureau, in its recently released report on crimes committed in states across the country in 2021, pointed out that 912 cases were registered in Uttarakhand in various environmental acts among seven different categories. It is followed by Himachal with 163 different crimes. Jammu andKashmir ranks third among Himalayan states with 85 cases. 

    Apart from this, such cases are also very low in other states. Statistics show that in the country, UP ranks fourth with 1573 cases in the total cases of all categories. While UP was number one in the country in cases of violation of the Forest Conservation Act. A total of 56 cases of environmental crime were registered in Bihar, 66 in Delhi and 272 in Jharkhand.

    ALSO READ | Uttarakhand panel proposes land laws for ‘outsiders’, submits report to CM

    According to the report, environmental crimes have been divided into seven different categories. These include the Forest Conservation Act, Wildlife Protection Act, Environment Protection Act, Air and Water Pollution Control Act, Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, Noise Pollution Act and NGT Act.

    DEHRADUN: The state tops the list of Himalayan states in the field of environmental crimes. Among the 13 Himalayan states in the country, the highest violation of environmental rules has taken place in Uttarakhand.

    The state has recorded the highest number of cases of cigarettes and other tobacco products act under the law. Their number is 850. While only 14 cases of violations were registered in UP and 46433 cases of violations in the country were registered in Tamil Nadu. That is, cigarettes and tobacco were consumed the most in public places here. While 53 cases of the FC Act came in Uttarakhand, nine cases came from Wildlife Act.

    The National Crime Records Bureau, in its recently released report on crimes committed in states across the country in 2021, pointed out that 912 cases were registered in Uttarakhand in various environmental acts among seven different categories. It is followed by Himachal with 163 different crimes. Jammu and
    Kashmir ranks third among Himalayan states with 85 cases. 

    Apart from this, such cases are also very low in other states. Statistics show that in the country, UP ranks fourth with 1573 cases in the total cases of all categories. While UP was number one in the country in cases of violation of the Forest Conservation Act. A total of 56 cases of environmental crime were registered in Bihar, 66 in Delhi and 272 in Jharkhand.

    ALSO READ | Uttarakhand panel proposes land laws for ‘outsiders’, submits report to CM

    According to the report, environmental crimes have been divided into seven different categories. These include the Forest Conservation Act, Wildlife Protection Act, Environment Protection Act, Air and Water Pollution Control Act, Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, Noise Pollution Act and NGT Act.

  • Uttarakhand tops among Himalayan states in number of COVID-19 deaths

    By Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand is on top of six Himalayan states when it comes to death rate due to COVID-19. Six out of 11 states/UTs in the country that have the highest death rates are Himalayan states.

    “The second wave has exposed fragility of the mountain states of India. Death rates are alarmingly high compared to the other states of India. This observation deserves attention of highest levels of the government of India,” said Anoop Nautiyal, whose Social Development for Communities has been collating and analysing Covid 19  data from March 15, 2020. 

    After Punjab (2.6 per cent), Uttarakhand (2.0 per cent) and Nagaland (1.9 per cent) have the highest death rates in the country. Other Himalayan states making the list are Himachal Pradesh (1.7 per cent) Meghalaya (1.7 per cent) Sikkim (1.6 per cent) & Manipur (1.6 per cent). 

    In the list of top 10 states in terms of death rate, six are Himalayan states while five are non-Himalayan states- Punjab (2.6 per cent), Maharashtra (1.7 per cent), Delhi (1.7 per cent), Goa (1.7  per cent) and Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1.7 per cent). 

    With 446 new cases on Sunday total number of active cases reached 16125 in Uttarakhand. Cases of black fungus/Mucormycosis reached 299 out if which 47 died and 18 have been cured. 

    Meanwhile, Uttarakhand government is mulling to extend some relaxation in curfew restrictions in five districts from June 8 which have shown improvement in terms of COVID situation. The districts of Bageshwar, Champawat, Haridwar, Dehradun and Udham Singh Nagar recorded a test positivity rate of below 5 per cent in the past one week. 

    Officials told that more shops are likely to be permitted to open in these five districts and curfew timings are likely to be relaxed. The government is also planning to permit the plying of public transport vehicles with a two-third occupancy.  

  • Uttarakhand has highest COVID-19 fatality rate among Himalayan states with 33 deaths per lakh population: State health dept

    By ANI
    DEHRADUN: With 33 deaths per lakh population, Uttarakhand has the highest COVID-19 mortality rate among the Himalayan states and nationwide it ranks ninth, according to the state health department’s data.

    In this regard, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Om Prakash said that one of the major reasons for the rise in death rate in the state is that people, who are reaching the hospital after contracting the virus, are in critical condition.

    “One of the reasons for rise in the death toll is that COVID-19 patients are reaching the hospital in critical condition. People should consult a doctor as soon as they see symptoms. So far, 76 per cent of deaths have been at the hospitals,” said the Chief Secretary.

    Meanwhile, Uttarakhand on Monday reported 5541 new COVID-19 cases, said the state health bulletin. The state also recorded 168 Covid-related deaths taking the death tally to 3,896 in the state.

    According to the Union Health Ministry, Uttarakhand on Sunday was among the 16 states/UTs that had deaths per million population higher than the national average at 315.