ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Chowna Mein has stated that developmental works in various parts of the state has resulted in loss of forest cover.
He said that use of forest land for developmental purposes along with landslides and floods have resulted in loss of forest cover in Arunachal Pradesh.
Quoting the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021, the Arunachal Pradesh deputy CM informed that the state has witnessed a loss of 257 sq km forest cover.
Chowna Mein has stated that the matter of climate change is real and the greatest threat to the earth.
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“Climate change knows no borders and it presents an existential challenge to us all,” Arunachal Pradesh deputy CM Chowna Mein said on Thursday.
He added: “We need some kind of urgency in mitigating the climate change impacts on our ecosystem.”
Chowna Mein made this statement while addressing a seminar in Itanagar, which was attended by environmental experts, legislators, government officers and students.
The seminar was themed – “Climate Change and Sustainable Future – The Arunachal Perspective”.
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The seminar was held as part of the golden jubilee celebration of naming of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Arunachal Pradesh deputy chief minister said that the frontier state is a abode of beautiful mountainous terrain, dense jungles and pristine rivers.
Chowna Mein raised concerns that even a minor change in the climatic condition might impose challenges to the state’s rich biological as well as cultural diversity.
He also said that the impact of climate change is already visible in Arunachal Pradesh.
“The five rivers of Arunachal Pradesh – Siang, Lohit, Tirap, Subansiri and Kameng have lost their original green emerald colours and is now known for turbidity,” Chowna Mein rued.