High fuel prices eating into Himachal Pradesh’s forest cover

Kiari (Himachal Pradesh): Environmentalists in Himachal Pradesh are claiming that the rampant cutting of trees for firewood is irreversibly depleting the state’s forest cover.

Despite a Supreme Court ruling, the illegal cutting of trees in the forest rich Himachal Pradesh continues unabated.

Experts say if unchecked, it will create a serious ecological imbalance in the region.
Nearly 90 percent population of the hilly state makes a living on farming and in the absence of any other viable alternative to firewood, is forced to cut trees.

Thanks to the ever-increasing price of essential fuels like cooking gas and kerosene, nearly 70 percent of the village population uses fuel wood for cooking.

Environmentalists say the villagers use at least three million tonnes of wood for their daily needs causing ecological imbalance.

NewKerala.com (India)