[Botanical Survey of India, Zoological Survey of India, Forest Survey of India]
Botanical Survey of India (BSI)
Botanical Survey of India (BSI) is a subordinate office of the Ministry with Headquarter at Kolkata and Circle/ Field offices at nine centres in the country. The primary and secondary objectives of the BSI are:
Exploration and inventorisation of phytodiversity in general and protected areas, hotspots, fragile ecosystems, sacred groves, etc. in particular.
Documentation of phytodiversity in the form of National, State and District Flora; the flora of protected areas, hotspots, fragile ecosystems, sacred groves, etc.
Monitoring of phytodiversity to evaluate the qualitative as well as quantitative changes in the biodiversity.
Identification of threatened species including endemics, their mapping, population studies and identification of ecosystems needing conservation.
Ex-situ conservation of critically threatened taxa in the Botanical Gardens through conventional and biotechnology methods.
Bioperspective survey of plant resources of the country to identify economically as well as ethnobotanically important species for their conservation and sustainable utilisation.
To prepare National Database on the above, including herbarium collections (incl. types), live collections, plant distribution, etc.
Environmental Impact Assessment studies as may be specifically called for.
Pharmacological studies on medicinal plants used by tribals.
Phytochemical, palynological and cytological studies to provide additional tours to determine systematic position and taxonomic status of closely related taxa.
To collect and preserve plants and plant products, variously used by the people in the form of museum exhibits for general awareness amongst the masses.
Human resource development and education in the methodology of study of phytodiversity.
To organise environmental awareness programmes regarding role of plants in environmental protection and pollution amelioration.
The activities carried out by the BSI during the year are as follows:
Botanical exploration and inventorisation of phytodiversity
More than 79 exploration/collection tours were undertaken by various circle offices and units of Botanical Survey of India in different priority areas, sanctuaries, hotpots, fragile ecosystems of North Eastern India, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, South Western Ghats, Western Himalayas, (Ladhak, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Garhwal Himalayas) Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan and West Bengal. More than 14,679 specimen, 6 soil samples, 25 water samples 5 litter samples have been collected, 1880 specimens were identified and about 121 specimen have been inventorised by different offices/ units of Botanical Survey of India.
Documentation of Phytodiversity
Editing of manuscript for the families Juncaceae, Hypoxidaceae, Taccaceae, Pandanaceae, Typhaceae, Alismataceae, Najadaceae, Marantaceae, Apongetonaceae, Butomaceae, Potamogetonaceae, Poaceae, Discoriaceae, some species of Malvaceae, Polygonaceae and Amaranthaceae is being completed for Flora of Madhya Pradesh (Vol.3).
Manuscript of about 50 species of different families viz. Anonaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Menispermaceae and Berberidaceae were completed for flora of Jammu & Kashmir.
Ninety four species were studied and key to the genera and species of Papilionaceae completed for Flora of Govindapashu Vihar National Park.
Manuscript for about 270 species and all cultivated species of Lamiaceae completed for flora of Sikkim (Vol.1).
Editing of manuscript for flora of Andaman & Nicobar Islands in progress.
Manuscript for 17 species were completed for flora of West Bengal (Vol.11).
Manuscript for family Rutaceae and 6- diagrams for endemic species completed for flora of Kerala.
Manuscript for 29 species of Liverworts of Himalayan region was prepared.
Ninetynine species studies and manuscript prepared for Aphyllophorals of North Eastern Himalayas.
Manuscript for 85 species of Terai region, UP has been prepared.
Ten species of Lichen flora of Sikkim studied.
Manuscript is ready for editing for lichens flora of Arunachal Pradesh.
Works for Pteridophytic flora of Eastern India have been completed and manuscript submitted for publication.
Manuscript for about 23 species of Bryophites under phytodiversity of Antartic has been completed.
Total four tours were undertaken and about 155 specimens were collected. Forty-two rare and wild relatives of ornamental and economic species were collected for conservation and multiplication in Indian Botanic Garden. Population studies of rare and threatened species to determine the status of taxa as per IUCN categories were completed. Ex- situ conservation of 340 plants comprising about 93 rare and threatened species have been done by multiplication at different experimental Botanic Gardens of various offices of Botanical Survey of India as follows :
For Flora of Indian Botanic Garden : 29 species completed.
For Manual of cultivated orchids : 23 species completed.
Manual of cultivated Medicinal Plants : 270 species completed.
Common plants of India : 38 species completed.
Pictoral flora of Dhani Kheri Garden, Andaman and Nicobar Islands : 188 species collected.
Four tours were undertaken and more than 200 specimens comprising about 97 species were collected. Cytological studies have been done and chromosome numbers were determined for 10 species of Acanthaceae and Fabaceae.
Species of the families Tiliaceae, Balsaminaceae, Burseraceae, Dipterocarpaceae and Geraniaceae were completed and more than 724 Index Cards prepared for documentation of chromosome number of Indian Plants.
Reproductive capacity of 17 wetland species of Howrah/24Parganas were determined.
35 species of ethnobotanical importance and 10 species museum exhibits were collected from Orissa.
Studies on physiology of seed germination of 133 endemic/ rare/ threatened species have been done.
Pollen morphological studies of more than 37 species Helobiae were completed for the Pollen Atlas of Indian plants.
Bioperspective assessment of Phytodiversity
Four collection tours were undertaken and over 800 specimens of wild plants of economic and medicinal value were collected. Phytochemical screening of 14 species of mangrove plants of West Bengal and Orissa and that of three species of Menispermaceae were undertaken. Phytochemical screening of 4 species of Rubiaceae were also completed. Isolation of Flavonoids from Bauhinia species and its contribution to chemotaxonomy of the family Leguminosae were undertaken. About 65 museum exhibits were collected from different parts of Orissa and West Bengal.
Mounting, stitching and label pasting of about 13,553 specimens have been done by different offices / Units of Botanical Survey of India. About 5783 specimens were identified and 3911 specimens were accessioned. 4329 specimens were indexed and about 7669 specimens were incorporated in the Herbarium of various offices of BSI. 271 illustrations were prepared, 328 books and 340 journals were purchased / accessioned in the various offices of the BSI during the year.
The following publication were published during the year :
Flora of Maharashtra, Dicot Vol. I.
Flora of Buldhana District.
Flora of Hazaribagh District, Vol. I.
Genera of Indian Polypores.
Orchids of Nagaland.
Reprinted ed. of Red Data Books, Vol. I, II & III.
Flora of Manipur, Vol. I.
Floristic Diversity and Conservation Strategies, Vol. II & III (December, 1999).
Fascicle for Flora of India, Vol 24 (Periplocaceae & Aselepiadaceae).
Flora of Great Nicobar Island (August, 1999).
More than 65 research papers/ scientific articles were also published.
A National database has been developed and is being regularly updated at BSI- Northern Circle, Dehra Dun; Southern Circle, Coimbatore and BSI, Calcutta (ENVIS- Centre) relating to medicinal plants, type collection and rare and threatened species.
Scientists and Staff of BSI participated in several training courses in different parts of India during the year.
Various offices of the BSI were associated in the major Environmental Impact Studies during the year.
World Environment Day on 5th June and National Biotechnology Day on 11th May were celebrated and various awareness generation activities on bio-diversity and environment were undertaken.
The Scientists of Botanical Survey of India attended more than 31 seminar and symposia and presented scientific papers.
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) a premier institute under the Ministry is committed to undertake survey exploration and research leading to the advancement of knowledge in various aspects of the exceptionally rich faunal diversity of the country. It has been constantly and tirelessly pursuing its objectives since its inception in 1916. During recent years, the ratification of the Biodiversity Convention by India, has tremendously increased both its responsibility and importance nationally as well as globally.
Realising the current national and international demand for charting the vast faunal diversity of the country, ZSI has renewed its vigor and reoriented its plan of work by grouping its survey, exploration and studies under five major programmes, viz.1) Fauna of States,2) Fauna of Conservation areas 3) Fauna of important ecosystems, 4) Status Survey of Endangered species and 5) Ecological Studies. Besides these, Fauna of India Programme also continued.
The ZSI with its headquarter in Calcutta and other 16 Regional Stations located through out the country continued to concentrate mainly on the detailed taxonomic studies on different faunal groups under Fauna of States programme. Fauna of Conservation areas like Biosphere Reserves, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries and important ecosystems like wetlands, tropical rainforests, high altitudes, desert, estuarine, coastal and marine etc.
Altogether 72 extensive faunal surveys were undertaken in different States/UTs including important ecosystems and conservation areas, besides several short duration intensive surveys for ecological and biomonitoring studies. Detailed taxonomic studies were carried out on the material collected during these as well as earlier surveys. Ecological and other studies including status survey of endangered animals were covered under seven projects.
The National Zoological collection was further enriched by the addition of 20,163 specimens belonging to 1657 species including 16 species new to science.
In addition, Identification and Advisory services were rendered to 191 individuals or institutions in India and abroad. One Environmental Impact Study was also carried out.
Two important training courses were organised under Training and Extension Programme.
Publication brought out during the year includes 4 volumes of the periodical Records of ZSI, 10 Occasional Papers, one Volume of Bibliography of Indian Zoology and 5 Volumes under Fauna of States series.
Details of activities undertaken during the year are as follows:
Faunal Explorations and Surveys
Tropical Rainforest
Surveys were conducted in Ernakulum district of Kerala
Siwaliks
Siwalik hills of Punjab and Western U.P. were surveyed.
Wetlands
Nal Sarovar (Gujarat), Jaikwadi and Nathsagar (Maharastra), wetlands of Keoladeo Ghana N.P. (Rajasthan) and some streams of Chakrata in Siwaliks were important wetlands surveyed during the year.
Estuarine
Krishna estuary in Andhra Pradesh was further surveyed.
National Parks
Survey were conducted for the faunal diversity in Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan and Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Maharashtra.
Biosphere Reserves
Gulf of Mannar and Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserves were surveyed during the period.
Wildlife Sanctuaries
Biligiri Rangaswamy, Karnataka; Dalma, Bihar and Saipung, Meghalaya were surveyed.
Under this programme surveys were conducted in Andhra Pradesh (Karim Nagar, Khammam), Assam (North Cachar Hills), Bihar (East Sighbhum, Giridih), Karnataka (Mysore, Chamrajnagar), Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh (Jabalpur, Mandla, Shahdol), Nagaland, Rajasthan (Sirohi, Udaipur, Durgapur, Banswara, Chittorgarh), Tamil Nadu (Chinglepet, Varudhunagar) and Uttar Pradesh (Dehra Dun).
Selected islands of Sunderban (coastal biomonitoring)
Selected East Calcutta Wetlands (plankton and benthos ecology)
A newly emerged Island (Nayachar) at Sunderban delta, (faunal succession)
Coral reef of Andaman & Nicobar ( faunal associates)
Identification of New Taxa
Detailed taxonomic studies carried out during the year resulted in the discovery of a total of 13 species of Insecta: Diptera; 1 species of Insecta : Hymenoptera and 2 species of Nematoda.
Taxonomic Studies
The research works carried out on fauna collected from different States, conservation areas and other ecosystem are as follows :
Chloropidae: Diptera;
During the year studies on the genera Meijerella, Incertela, Vanchium, Polydapsis and Aphanatrigonum were continued.
Details of number of specimens and species identified, based on the collection made from different states are given in Table-1.
Major Groups of Animals Collected
(Total number of specimens and species in parenthesis)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- States surveyed Protozoa Rotifera Nematoda Apterigota Odonata Isoptera Hemiptera Hymenoptera Lepidoptera Coleoptera ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andaman & Nicobar Is. 40(6) 9(1) Andhra Pradesh 85(18) 700(16) 86(29) Arunachal Pradesh 152(9) Gujarat 16(5) 300(12) 9(1) Karnataka 13(3) 70(7) Madhya Pradesh 20(4) 100(2) 5(5) Manipur 25(8) 112(6) 350(61) Mizoram 86(18) 190(61) 105(21) Nagaland 52(2) 186(55) 186(55) Rajasthan 9(1) Tamil Nadu 12(2) 20(7) Tripura 104(56) Uttar Pradesh 51(18) West Bengal 54(6) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- States surveyed Orthoptera Trichoptera Acarina Crustacea Chilopoda Mollusca Pisces Amphibia Reptilia Mammalia ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andaman & Nicobar Is. 284(46) Andhra Pradesh 74(13) 141(23) 247(42) Arunachal Pradesh 30(4) 36(3) 792(16) 834(45) 248(24) Assam 2000(25) 158(5) Bihar 63(2) Himachal Pradesh 85(13) Karnataka 62(11) 3775(65) 47(7) Kerala 15(8) Madhya Pradesh 904(15) Maharashtra 84(12) Meghalaya 7(4) Mizoram 270(27) 70(6) Nagaland 260(26) 25(4) 31(6) 380(48) 57(8) Tamil Nadu 10(5) 31(6) 94(6) 918(41) 237(48) 22(4) Uttar Pradesh 33(3) West Bengal 45(9) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Parks
Pench, Maharashtra: Thirty six examples belonging to six species of Myriapoda (Chilopoda: Scolopendridae), 61 examples pertaining to 18 species of Hymenoptera, 15 examples of 5 species of Lepidoptera, 20 examples comprising of 6 species of Crustacea, 6 examples of 3 species of Mollusca, 31 examples consisting of 7 species of Reptilia and 5 examples of one species of Mammilia were studied and identified.
Tadoba, Maharshtra: Fifteen examples under 6 species of Mollusca, 31 examples pertaining to 6 species of Crustacea and 5 examples comprising of 2 species of Reptilia were identified.
Sanjay Gandhi, Maharshtra: Eight species belonging to 3 species of Myriapoda (Chilopoda) were identified.
Ranthambore, Rajasthan: Twenty examples belonging to 2 species of Coleoptera (Scrabaeid) were studied and identified.
Biosphere Reserves
Detailed taxonomic studies on faunal groups of Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, M.P. was undertaken and during this period 130 examples belonging to 31 species of Lepidoptera and 15 examples pertaining to Coleoptera were studied and identified.
Tiger Reserve
Melghat, Maharashtra : Nine example belonging to 4 species of Mollusca, 22 example pertaining to 10 species of Crustacea, 32 examples comprising 15 species of Odonata, 16 examples consisting of 6 species of Diptera, 2 examples of 2 species of Arachnida, 9 examples under 4 species of Lepidoptera and 179 examples belonging to 16 species of Pisces were identified.
Agasthamalai, Tamil Nadu: Studies on the hemipteran fauna completed which included 28 species under 19 genera and 7 families
Wildlfe Sanctuaries
Biligiri Rangaswamy, Karnataka : Seven ninty eight examples belonging to 25 species of aquatic Hemiptera and 487 examples pertaining to 12 species of Pisces were studied and identified.
Kiamur, Bihar: Twenty three examples under 5 species of Amphibia and 4 examples belonging to 2 species of Reptilia (Squamata) were identified.
Indira Gandhi, Tamil Nadu: Twenty three examples consisting of 5 species of Amphibia and 4 examples of 2 species of Reptilia were identified.
Parambikulam, Kerala: Identification work on the material collected from this sanctuary was completed and preparation of manuscript for publication is in progress.
Asola Bhatti, Delhi: Forty examples comprising 7 species of Hymenoptera, 8 examples belonging to 2 species of Amphibia and 2 examples consisting of 2 species of Reptilia were studied and identified.
Wetlands
Loktak Lake, Manipur: Taxonomic studies on the fauna of this lake were completed and manuscript is under preparation.
Pong, Himachal Pradesh: Twenty five examples belonging to 1 species of Annelida: Oligochaeta, 28 examples pertaining to 3 species of Pisces and 16 examples consisting of 3 species of Amphibia were identified.
Nathsagar, Maharashtra: Four examples of 2 species of Mollusca and 1 example of 1 species of Pisces were recognised.
Jaikwadi, Maharashtra: Studies on this wetland has been initiated and 27 examples, belonging to 4 species of plaktonic Cladocera were studied.
Keoladeo Ghana, Rajasthan: The water samples collected from wetland of this National Park were analysed for various physico-chemical parameters. Besides, 7 examples pertaining to 7 species of Rotifera, 50 examples belonging to 12 species of Odonata and 16 examples of 16 species of Lepidoptera were identified.
Sambhar Lake, Rajasthan: The studies on the fauna of this lake were completed and manuscript is in final stage.
Wetlands of Doon Valley, U.P.: One twenty one examples belonging to 8 species of Pisces were examined and identified.
Estuarine Ecosystem
Krishna Estuary: Four twenty one examples belonging to 77 species of Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura, 103 examples pertaining to 30 species of Crustacea: Decapoda: Macrura, 390 examples consisting of 92 species of Mollusca, 462 examples comprising of 137 species of Pisces were studied and identified.
Marine and Coastal Ecosystem
Kerala Coast: One thirty seven examples belonging to 44 species of Pisces were recognised.
Andhra Coast: One twenty eight examples pertaining to 20 species of Mollusca were identified.
Palk Bay Coast: Twenty examples belonging to 2 species of Decapoda : Crustacea were identified.
Andaman & Nicobar Islands : The Chaetognatha material collected during 14th cruise of Sagar Sampada from the sea around these islands were studied and distribution map of two important species of Sagitta were prepared.
Tropical Rainforest/ Western Ghat Ecosystem
One thirty examples (25 species) of Odonata, 225 examples (30 species) of Hymenoptera, 351 examples (25 species) of Pisces and 39 examples (7 species) of Amphibia collected from different district of Kerala were studied and identified.
Desert Ecosystem
Ladakh Cold Desert, J&K: Fifty examples belonging to 2 species of Oligochaeta, 81 examples pertaining to 10 species of Pisces and 87 examples consisting of 2 species of Amphibia were identified.
The following studies pertaining to various ecosystems were continued as ongoing projects during the year.
Ecology of plankton and benthos of some wetlands of East Calcutta, oxbow lakes, large beels and urban man made lakes of Southern West Bengal.
Studies on the fauna associated with coral reefs of Andaman and Nicobar Island
Studies on the intertidal fauna of Hugly Matla Estuarine system in Sunderban Delta and coastal biomonitoring.
Faunal succession in newly emerged islands at Sunderban delta.
Status Survey of Chinkara and Desert Cat in Gujarat.
Studies on the ecology and behaviour of Asian Elephant at Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary (Completed)
Studies on the ecology and behaviour of Macaca assamensis Mc Lelland in North Bengal (completed).
During the year, Environmental Impact Studies on Lower Penganga Irrigation Project, Sawantwadi Sindhudurg, Maharashtra were undertaken.
Trichotaxonomic studies on some endangered mammalian species.
Cytotaxonomic studies on some mammals.
A total of 235 research papers were being published.
Identification and Advisory Services
ZSI continued to render identification and advisory services free of cost to research and teaching institutes in India and abroad, central and state government agencies, non governmental organisation, industries and individuals on all zoological matters. During this period 191 inquiries pertaining to different groups of fauna were attended to.
Development of National Zoological Collection
ZSI, which is the national repository of all Zoological specimens, maintains the collection of a large number of identified examples of species belonging to almost all groups of animals of the country. The National Zoological Collection was further enriched by 20, 163 examples belonging to 1,657 species including 16 new species.
The following Training Courses were organised during the period:
11th Training Course on collection, preservation and identification of Insects and Mites of economic importance.
7th Leadership course on Environmental Awareness and Wildlife Conservation.
The following publications were released during the period under report:
Records of Zoological Survey of India,Vol. 97 (IV), Vol. 98 (I,II,and III).
Occasional papers No. 174 to 185.
Bibliography of Indian Zoology, Vol. 29.
Fauna of Meghalaya Vol. 4,5,6 and 7.
Fauna of Gujarat.
Departmental publications amounting to Rs 3.0 lakh were sold.
World Environment day and Wildlife Week were celebrated at ZSI HQs, Calcutta.
Laboratory facilities and guidance were provided to a number of scientists, both from the country and from abroad in the laboratories of Headquarters and Regional Stations.
The GEF project on the Biodiversity of Coral Reef Associated Fauna in Andaman and Nicobar Island was continued.
A project entitled "Studies of Faunal Diversity in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan" has been initiated at the Desert Regional Station of ZSI, Jodhpur.
Scientists and staff of ZSI participated in several Training courses in different parts of the country as well as in 19th Antarctic Expedition.
Established in June 1981, the Forest Survey of India (FSI) is entrusted with the responsibility of survey of forest resource in the country. The FSI has four zonal offices located at Bangalore. Calcutta, Nagpur and Shimla with headquarter at Dehra Dun.
The primary objective of the FSI are:
To prepare a comprehensive State of Forest Report (SFR) including National Forest Vegetation Map (NVM) once in every two years; also prepare thematic map through use of remote sensing data with minimum essential ground truth verification in 10 years cycle.
To collect, store and retrieve necessary forestry and forestry related data for national and state level planning and to create a computer based National Basic Forest Inventory System (NBFIS)
To design methodologies relating to forest surveys and subsequent updating. This would include methodology for:
Vegetation mapping including thematic maps through use of satellite imagery/ aerial photographs
Ground truth verification
Growing stock and volume assessment.
To undertake work in regard to preparation of forest inventory in selected States/UTs on agency basis until establishment of their own resources survey units.
To impart training in modern forest survey techniques to foresters at various levels of responsibility in States/UTs/GOI.
To support and oversee technique/ inventory work undertaken by States/UTs forest department.
Activities undertaken by the FSI during the year are as follows:
One of the main objectives of Forest Survey of India is to assess forest cover of the country in biennial cycle using remote sensing data. The assessment is based on visual and digital method of interpretation of the satellite data which is procured from National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad. For visual interpretation, hard copies in the form of satellite imageries are procured on 1:250,000 scale whereas for digital interpretation, data is procured in form of Compact Disks (CDs). Interpretation of satellite data is followed by ground verification and necessary corrections are incorporated before generating final maps and making area calculations. The final maps show forest cover in two density classes i.e. dense forest and open forest and mangrove. In the last assessment, published in SFR-1999, forest cover assessment has been done by digital method in 13 states which constitute 63% of the total forest area of the country. For the state where digital method of interpretation has been used, it is possible to generate forest cover maps on 1:50,000 scale.
Digital Image processing facility in the organization has been further upgraded by acquisition of five work stations along with new DIP softwares and necessary peripherals. Four more workstations, necessary softwares and peripherals have been procured to strengthen zonal offices for undertaking the work of digital interpretation and special studies. It has now been planned that the forest cover of the entire country will be assessed by digital method in the nest assessment.
A Digital Cartography System (DCS) was procured in 1996 for preparing good quality maps. The system has however been used on a limited scale only as the required technical manpower is yet to be recruited.
The first assessment of the forest cover of the country was done based on visual interpretation of satellite imageries for the period 1981-83 and the first National Vegetation map was prepared in 1987 on 1:1 million scale. Forest Survey of India, which used Landsat satellite data earlier, has now completely switched over to the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite data for the assessment of the forest cover. The SFR 1999 is the seventh report in the series of biennial reports, published by the FSI since 1987 and it presents a comprehensive account of forest cover of the country and its dynamics over the previous assessment (SFR 1997).
The total forest cover of the country has been estimated to be 63.73 million ha. i.e. 19.39% of the geographic area of the country. The dense forest (crown density more the 40%) and open forest (10%-40%) and the mangroves occupy 11.48%, 7.76% and 0.15% of the geographic area of the country respectively as given in Table-2 and 3.
Forest cover as per 1999 assessment
--------------------------------------------------------------- Class Area in sq.km Percentage of geographic area --------------------------------------------------------------- Dense forest 377,358 11.48 Open forest 255,064 7.76 Mangrove 4,871 0.15 Sub-total 637,293 19.39 Scrub 51,896 1.58 Non-forest 2,598,074 79.03 --------------------------------------------------------------- Total 3,287,263 100.00 ---------------------------------------------------------------
Extent of dense forest, open forest and mangrove in States/UTs
(sq.km) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State/UT Dense forest Open forest Mangrove Total forest Percent of Scrub cover geographic area ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andhra Pradesh 24,190 19,642 397 44,229 16.08 9,559 Arunachal Pradesh 57,756 11,091 0 68,847 82.21 104 Assam 14,517 9,171 0 23,688 30.20 324 Bihar 13,274 13,200 0 26,474 15.23 1,914 Delhi 35 53 0 88 5.93 3 Goa 995 251 5 1,251 33.79 16 Gujarat 6,430 5,504 1,031 12,965 6.61 2,948 Haryana 449 515 0 964 2.18 191 Himachal Pradesh 9,120 3,962 0 13,082 23.50 566 Jammu & Kashmir 11,019 9,422 0 20,441 9.20 3,089 Karnataka 24,832 7,632 3 32,467 16.93 4,489 Kerala 8,429 1,894 0 10,323 26.56 91 Madhya Pradesh 81,619 50,211 0 131,830 29.73 3,853 Maharashtra 26,613 19,951 108 46,672 15.17 7,160 Manipur 5,936 11,448 0 17,384 77.86 177 Meghalaya 5,925 9,708 0 15,633 69.70 261 Mizoram 3,786 14,552 0 18,338 86.99 125 Nagaland 5,137 9,027 0 14,164 85.43 14 Orissa 26,073 20,745 215 47,033 30.21 5,439 Punjab 517 895 0 1,412 2.80 107 Rajasthan 4,309 9,562 0 13,871 4.05 6,921 Sikkim 2,363 755 0 3,118 43.94 386 Tamil Nadu 8,659 8,398 21 17,078 13.13 2,836 Tripura 2,228 3,517 0 5,745 54.79 38 Uttar Pradesh 22,902 11,114 0 34,016 11.55 1,177 West Bengal 3,565 2,672 2,125 8,362 9.42 98 A & N Islands 6,515 125 966 7,606 92.21 0 Chandigarh 6 1 0 7 6.14 0 Dadar & Nagar Haveli 159 43 0 202 41.14 10 Daman & Diu 0 3 0 3 2.68 0 Lakshadweep 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pondicherry 0 0 0 0 0 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 377,358 255,064 4,871 637,293 19.39 51,896 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There has been an increase of 3,896 sq.km of forest cover between 1997 and 1999 assessments. Major gains were recorded in Andhra Pradesh (939 sq.km). Madhya Pradesh (635sq.km), Rajasthan (618 sq.km.), Himachal Pradesh (561 sq.km.) Maharashtra (529 sq.km.) while Mizoram showed major loss of 437 sq. km.
FSI is engaged in preparing thematic maps on a scale of 1:50,000 by interpretation of aerial photographs. These maps depict the forest types, species composition, crown density of forest cover and other land use. Every year about 5,000 aerial photographs corresponding to 260 topographical sheets (1:50,000) of Survey of India are to be interpreted, These maps are to be prepared for the entire country on a ten year cycle. However it could not be achieved because of problems associated with procurement of aerial photographs. About 75% forested area of the country has been covered so far. The aerial photographs of an area available are normally more than 5 years old and their procurement take more than a year. After procurement the process of interpretation, transference and preparation of thematic maps takes yet another 3 to 4 years. Hence, the information about forest stock is generally more than 10 years old and hence of little relevance. It is felt that these maps are hardly being utilized due to outdated information. Considering the above facts the thematic mapping target has been reduced from 260 to 50 sheets per year.
Inventory of Tree Resources of Non Forest Area
Keeping in view the important role played by forestry plantations and to assess the impact of social forestry and other forestry extension programmes in meeting fuelwood and timber needs of the people and raw material requirements of the wood based industries, survey of plantation outside conventional forest has also been initiated by the FSI. The survey of NFA has been completed in Haryana. The availability of seven times more wood outside the forest with respect to that inside forest reflects a great potential of wood production in these areas. Similar surveys have been initiated in Western U.P. Punjab, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar and Rajasthan. Inventory in NFA upto 2000 has been carried out in 1.22 lakhs sq.km of area.
Since its inception as Preinvestment Survey of Forest Resources (PISFR) in 1965. Field inventory has been one of the most important activities of Forest Survey of India. During the sixteenth years of existence, PISFR carried out ground inventory over a forest area of 2.28 lakhs sq. km. in India and 0.38 lakhs sq.km. in Nepal and Bhutan. After creation of the Forest Survey of India (FSI) in 1981, it has carried out field inventories in an additional area of 4.32 lakhs sq.km. till 2000. Methodology adopted by the FSI for carrying out field inventories is based on the stratified random sampling with standard error ± 10%.
An inventory report prepared by the FSI gives details of area estimates, topographic description, classification, rate of forest (healthy or degraded), ownership pattern, estimation of volume and other growth parameters such as height and diameter in different types of forest, estimation of growth regeneration and mortality of important species, volume equation and wood consumption of the area studied.
The objective of the Electronic Data Processing unit is to provide qualitative and quantitative information about the forest resources of the country. This unit functions as the national forest data bank by storing relevant data on forest inventory.
FSI organises 8 to 10 training programmes for forestry personnel on various aspects such as application of remote sensing techniques in forestry including GIS, forest inventory and electronic data processing. The duration of training varies from one week to four weeks depending on the level of personnel and the objective of the training. One week compulsury training course is orgainsed for the Indian Forest Service Officers. Two week training couse is organised for the Working Plan Officers to expose them to the use of remote sensing techniques in preparation of working plans, updating stock maps, ground inventory and data processing. Another two week training is imparted to SFS officers to equip them with usage of remote sensing techniques in forestry. Four week training is imparted to Forest Range Officers to train them in interpretation of satelite data and aerial photographs, forest inventory and electronic data processing. The skills of the technical staff of FSI are also updated through suitably designed training courses.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Forest and Plantation Development Corporation Ltd., Port Blair
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands Forest and Plantation Development Corporation Ltd., a Government of India undertaking has an authorised capital of Rs. 600 lakhs. The paid up share capital is Rs.359.18 lakhs, all the share capital being held by the Central Government. The Company started functioning in 1977 and is a category C Central Public Sector Undertaking. The corporation has also financed its capital from the resources generated internally.
The main activities of the Corporation during the year were timber logging and regeneration, oil palm cultivation and processing and commercial management of rubber plantation. The Corporation is also in the process to diversify its activities wherever possible within the ambit of its objectives.