86% saplings survived in state’s plantation drive

MUMBAI: Saplings planted by the state forest department in July last year saw an 86% survival rate, revealed a report by the department’s information and technology (IT) wing. Of the 72.3 million saplings planted by the state, 62.2 million survived, the data said.

The data has been collated from the territorial, wildlife, social forestry and Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM). According to forest officials, the sapling survival rate has improved. Of the 20 million saplings planted in 2016, 79.37% survived. In 2017, 77.95% of the 40 million saplings survived. The drive last year witnessed a total of 158.8 million plantations, including those undertaken by private groups.

“The submission of survival rate was to be uploaded online by all stakeholders. However, progress from non-forest stakeholders has been very slow. Thus, the 2018 report primarily incorporates plantations carried out by the forest department. Information for non-forest stakeholders will be updated based on submissions,” said P Srivastava, principal chief conservator of forest (IT), Maharashtra forest department.

Meanwhile, environmentalists have expressed scepticism over the data’s veracity. “There is no evidence to back the forest department’s claims. They are fudging figures to suit the needs to avail reimbursement from United Nations (see box). Conservationists carrying out plantation have said this success rate is unimaginable in a drought-hit state like Maharashtra,” said Stalin D, director, environment group Vanashakti.

However, the department has countered allegations, stating they had global positioning system (GPS) locations of each plantation site. “The state has formed district-level committees with NGOS to check the veracity of the data,” said Srivastava.

The highest survival rate was recorded at 98.02% in Gadchiroli and at 96% in Nagpur and Yavat- In 2008, the United Nations introduced a collaborative programme ‘Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation’ (REDD+)

The aim is to reduce carbon emissions in developing countries According to the convention, if any agency is able to provide additional green cover, by investing a large amount, it will be reimbursed by developed nations mal. The highest plantations were recorded in Chandrapur (95%) and Thane (94%). Pune saw the lowest survival rate at 74.7%.

However, data for Mumbai city and suburbs was not covered by the report. “Since Mumbai did not witness major plantations, the data has been collated with that of Thane,” said Srivastava. “Between October and November, forest officers visited all plantation sites, counted the number of saplings that survived and uploaded details on a mobile application developed by the Maharashtra Remote Sensing Applications Centre.”

HT had reported in December that Maharashtra diverted 1,138.84 hectares of forest land in 2018 for various development projects in the state. “Plantation of crores of saplings in no way compensates for the large diversion of forest areas. Continuity of forests has been destroyed and these sparse plantations will only account for small pockets of green cover. Environmentalists need to visit the GPS locations to verify the report,” said Madhav Gadgil, ecologist and founder of the Centre for Ecological Sciences at Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.

This year, the state has set a target of 50 crore sapling plantations.

“With 19 crore

plantations over the past three years and a target of 50 crore by 2019, we will have a strong case to claim reimbursement over the next three years. No other state has managed to successfully complete such efforts yet,” said principal chief conservator of forest, Information and Technology division.

HIGHEST SURVIVAL RATE IN THREE YEARS

Saplings planted Saplings survived 2,07,49,822 1,64,70,281

2016

2017*

2018*

3,40,81,019 2,65,64,500

Survival rate

79.37%

77.95%

7,23,73,166 6,22,91,499

86.07%