DEFORESTATION 

Deforestation in India: Causes and Consequences of Deforestation in India!

Deforestation is one of the major causes to the environmental degradation which is affected by the agents like small farmers, ranches, loggers and plantation companies. There is a broad consensus that expansion of cropped areas and pastures are a major source of deforestation.

Causes for Deforestation:

1. Agriculture:

Conversion of forests to agricultural land to feed growing needs of people. There are an estimated 300 million people living as shifting cultivators who practice slash and burn agriculture and are supposed to clear more than 5 lakh ha of forests for shifting cultivation annually.

2. Commercial logging:

(Which supplies the world market with woods such as meranti, teak, mahogany and ebony) destroys trees as well as opening up forest for agriculture. Cutting of trees for fire wood and building material, the heavy lopping of foliage for fodder and heavy grazing of saplings by domestic animals like goals.

3. Mining:

This causes environmental impacts like erosion, formation of sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, and contamination of soil, groundwater and surface water by chemicals from mining processes.

4. Increase in population:

The needs also increase and utilize forests resources. To meet the demands of rapidly growing population, agricultural lands and settlements are created permanently by clearing forests.

5. Urbanization and industrialization:

Since Industrialization and Urbanization needs land to grow, so major amount of forest lands are cut in order to promote Industrialization and Urbanization. This creates harmful effect on environment and forest ecological balance.

Consequences of Deforestation:

Depending on the needs of the social group concerned, deforestation has made it possible for communities to be built. Forest makes way for residential houses, office buildings and factories. Governments are able to built reads to make trade and transport easier and therefore more convenient to residents.

Deforestation can also mean the conversion of forest land to productive land for agricultural uses. This results in better and more abundant production of food and materials, virtually eradicating periods of want and lack. Economically, deforestation has contributed much in giving many communities the opportunity to make positive changes in their times. Unfortunately, the negative consequences of deforestation for outweigh its positive effects.

S. Srividya Srinivasan