What are the causes of forest …

Causes for forest depletion in India are:

• Depletion of forests on an extensive scale was carried out in the colonial period. The beginning and the expansion of railways during this period led to the destruction of huge chunks of forests.
• In independent India, clearing of forest land for the purpose of cultivation has also led to the depletion of forest cover in the country.
• Timber has become an important commercial resource. It is used for building and making furniture. The felling of the trees for the purpose of obtaining timber is an important cause of reduced forest cover in India.
• Many forests have been cleared for the purpose of building large scale dams in the country. For example, the building of Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat and the Narmada Valley Project has resulted in the loss of forest lands in India.
• Rapid Industrialization, urbanisation and expansion of cities has also led to the destruction of forest cover in the country.
• Animal grazing, mining, collection of fire wood in rural areas are some other reasons of forest depletion in the country. Many people regard the practice of shifting cultivation also as a reason of destruction of forest cover in India. However it has to be noted that tribals practice it for satisfying their minimum basic needs. Depletion of forest is caused mainly due to the commercial use of timber, expansion of agriculture and the construction of large dams.