CHENNAI: Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh said he would shortly be visiting China to study ways to increase the country’s forest cover.
Inaugurating a national consultation on “Management of agro biodiversity hopspots in an era of climate change,” at the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation here on Wednesday, Jairam Ramesh said China was adding four million hectare to the forest cover annually. However, India was bringing only one million hectare in a year under the green cover.
India currently has 21 per cent under the forest cover. Out of this, only two per cent comes in the high-density category. “Focus should be to improve the quality of the forests,” he added.
Educate, mobilise society: Awareness of environment and conservation of its scarce resources can be achieved easily by education and by mobilisng society for the cause, said Rajendra Pandurang Kerkar, Goa, recipient of the CPREEC’s Award for Environmental Education for 2009. Rajendra works as a teacher in environmental studies. The award, including a citation and Rs 1 lakh cash prize, was presented by Dr MS Swaminathan.