Image Source: TRIBUNE

The report about increase in forest cover in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory released by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recently may present a rosy picture of the Himalayan region, but environmentalists have questioned the data when nearly 50,000 acres of forestland is under encroachment and about 7,000 sq km remains in the state of degradation.

Eco-warriors say the data does not present factual ground position about the continuous destruction of green gold due to the ongoing massive developmental projects, especially construction of roads and highways, putting UT on the path of ecological disaster.