BS Vohra, an environmental expert, said GIM has the potential to improve air quality by increasing forest cover across the country, but.....

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Green India Mission Leads To Increased Forest Cover, But Question Over Long-Term Impact Lingers

Green India Mission Leads To Increased Forest Cover, But Question Over Long-Term Impact Lingers

New Delhi: The Green India Mission (GIM) had a substantial impact on the overall enhancement of forest and tree cover in India, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) said.

Being implemented by the MoEFCC since FY2015-16, GIM is among the eight missions specified in the National Action Plan on Climate Change to safeguard, rehabilitate, and improve forest cover while addressing climate change through plantation initiatives in both forest and non-forest areas in the selected landscapes through Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs).

Notably, an amount of Rs 909.82 crore has been released to 17 states and a union territory for the creation of plantation/eco-restoration over an area of 15,5130 hectares.

India's forest cover has increased from approximately 7,94,245 sq km to 8,27,357 sq km, representing a net increase of about 3,31,12 sq km, as per the data issued by the MoEFCC. These gains are attributable to various afforestation and restoration initiatives, including GIM carried out at both state and Central levels, it said.

In states like Madhya Pradesh, the implementation of GIM activities commenced in 2018-19. To date, Rs 123.26 crore have been released for taking up afforestation/eco-restoration activities in 32,831 hectares under different sub-missions of the GIM. Afforestation activities have been undertaken in Katni and Panna districts through various schemes and implementing agencies. Under the Working Plan Implementation scheme, afforestation is being carried out on forest land in Katni, North Panna, and South Panna Forest Divisions.

To ensure the survival rate and growth, monitoring of plantations under the GIM is carried out through a multi-layered approach involving both state and Central level mechanisms. States/union territories conduct annual physical verification of plantation sites to assess the survival rate of saplings and document reasons for any observed mortality.

The state forest department takes corrective interventions, including focused maintenance drives, to address site-specific challenges regarding survival rate. As part of their annual progress reports, states submit digital files and geo-tagged photographs of plantation sites to the MoEFCC for centralised verification and monitoring.

It may be mentioned that the MoEFCC has undertaken initiatives to raise awareness and encourage participation of local communities, such as the promotion of the "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" campaign to foster emotional and community connection to tree planting.

Environmental Expert's View

BS Vohra, an environmental expert, said GIM has the potential to improve air quality by increasing forest cover across the country. "The GIM has the potential to improve air quality by increasing forest cover, which helps absorb pollutants and produce oxygen. However, its actual impact on controlling air pollution has been limited. Implementation has been slow, with minimal focus on urban areas where pollution is most severe. Moreover, major pollution sources like vehicular emissions, industrial activity, and stubble burning remain unaddressed by the mission. As a result, despite GIM's efforts, air pollution levels continue to rise," Vohra told ETV Bharat.

Controlling air pollution requires broader, multi-sectoral strategies beyond afforestation alone to achieve meaningful and lasting improvement in air quality, said Vohra, who has been fighting environment-related issues for years in Delhi.

Referring to the GIM, he said, "The GIM aims to enhance forest cover, restore degraded ecosystems, and promote climate resilience. While its objectives are well-intentioned, its impact has been limited, especially in ecologically sensitive regions like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where recurring disasters — landslides, floods, and cloudbursts — continue to wreak havoc."

Claiming that the implementation of the mission has faced significant delays, underfunding, and a lack of effective coordination between Central and state authorities, he said, "The actual afforestation and ecological restoration achieved so far fall short of targets, and monitoring mechanisms remain weak. Moreover, the mission has not adequately addressed issues like deforestation from infrastructure projects, unregulated urban expansion, and poor land-use planning, which are major contributors to the ongoing environmental crises in the Himalayan region."

"In both Himachal and Uttarakhand, fragile mountain ecosystems are under intense pressure due to unsustainable development. Roads, hydropower projects, and tourism infrastructure often ignore ecological considerations, leading to increased vulnerability to natural disasters. GIM's limited presence and poor integration with local communities and disaster management systems reduce its effectiveness," Vohra added.

To make a meaningful impact, Vohra said GIM needs better funding, community participation, real-time monitoring, and alignment with broader land and disaster management policies. "There must be a shift from symbolic tree-planting efforts to holistic ecological planning focused on long-term resilience, especially in vulnerable mountain states that are on the frontline of climate change."

For disaster-prone hilly regions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the GIM must evolve from a tree-planting scheme to a holistic ecological resilience strategy, Vohra said. "The mission can play a crucial role in disaster mitigation if it focuses on restoring native forests that stabilise slopes, prevent soil erosion and regulate water flow. Avoiding monoculture plantations and promoting deep-rooted native species is essential for long-term slope stability," he added.

He wants the GIM to be integrated with land-use planning and eco-sensitive zoning to restrict development in vulnerable areas. Bioengineering methods, such as planting grass and shrubs on slopes, can reduce landslide risks. Implementing watershed-based afforestation can control runoff and minimise flash floods, he said.

Vohra asserted that community participation is key as local knowledge and involvement in forest protection enhance the mission's effectiveness, adding green belts along roads, riverbanks, and other infrastructure should be promoted to act as natural barriers against disasters.

"The mission must be aligned with early warning systems and local disaster management plans. By focusing on ecosystem restoration, climate adaptation, and risk reduction, the GIM can significantly contribute to making hill regions safer and more resilient to natural disasters," he added.