India Revamps Green Mission to Restore Forests and Combat Desertification

New Delhi, Jun 18 (PTI) The Indian government has updated its National Mission for Green India, with a focus on reviving degraded forest ecosystems in the Western Ghats, the Himalayas, and the Aravalli mountain range. This launch, unveiled on the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, also emphasizes the greening of arid areas in northwest India.

The mission's initial phase aimed to improve ecosystem services across 10 million hectares, increase forest-based income for approximately three million households, and enhance CO2 sequestration by 50 to 60 million tonnes by 2020. Starting its interventions in 2015-16, the mission has successfully brought about 11.22 million hectares under plantations by 2020-21.

Now, the mission seeks to create an additional carbon sink equivalent to 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 by 2030, aligning with India's commitments under the Paris Agreement. As one of the eight components of India’s 2008 National Action Plan on Climate Change, the mission aims to restore the vital Aravalli hills, stretching 700 kilometers from Gujarat to Delhi.

The Aravallis, among the oldest mountain ranges globally, face severe threats from deforestation, mining, and construction, leading to desertification, rainfall decline, and groundwater depletion. The Aravalli Green Wall project plans to create a five-kilometer green buffer around the range to act as a shield against desert winds and aid groundwater recharging, ensuring the region's long-term ecological balance.

Attention is also given to the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot, extending 1,600 km from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu. Despite absorbing up to 10% of India’s greenhouse gas emissions, the Ghats suffer from deforestation, illegal mining, and pollution, impacting water sources, biodiversity, and local climate patterns.

The mission will target restoring degraded Himalayan slopes by planting native species, aiming to prevent soil erosion, control landslides, and improve rainwater harvesting using techniques like gully plugging and contour trenching. In the Northeast, addressing shifting (jhum) cultivation through respectful, locally appropriate technologies is a priority.

Seabuckthorn plantations in suitable parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim will be promoted to enhance ecological health and local livelihoods. The arid northwest regions that face severe soil erosion due to wind, overgrazing, and poor land management will see efforts like planting windbreaks, regulating grazing, and introducing hardy native grasses to restore ecological stability and boost productivity.

An emphasis is also placed on restoring mangroves, which once thrived in coastal, river, and delta areas but have since disappeared. Covering 4,975 square kilometers, mangroves are biodiversity hotspots that protect coasts and support marine life. Additionally, bamboo forests in the Northeast and central India will be rejuvenated, with bamboo playing a crucial role in mitigating soil erosion and storing carbon.