Why has the land under forest not increased much since 1960-1961?

Answer 1

Land resources in India are primarily divided into agricultural land, forest land, land meant for pasture and grazing, and waste land. Waste land includes rocky, arid and desert areas, and land used for other non-agricultural purposes such as housing, roads and industry. According to the recent data, about 54% of the total land area is cultivable or fallow, 22.5% is covered by forests, and 3.45% is used for grazing. The rest is waste land, with traces of miscellaneous cultivation.

The improper use of forest land has degraded the available land area, and has made conservation of forests difficult. Human activities such as deforestation, mining and quarrying have contributed to the slow growth rate of forests. Thus, land under forest has increased by only about 4% since 1960-61.

Answer 2

There are several reasons for the limited increase in forested land since 1960-1961, including deforestation for agriculture, logging, urbanization, and infrastructure development. Additionally, natural disasters like wildfires and droughts can also contribute to the loss of forested areas. Lack of effective conservation policies and enforcement mechanisms can further hinder the expansion of forested land.