PANAJI
A report on environment statistics released by the Central government on Thursday has cited an alarming 22 per cent drop in Goa's tree cover over the last 12 years.
The report -- EnviStats India 2025: Environment Statistics -- was released by the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on Thursday.
The data in the report shows that Goa’s tree cover which was 334 square kilometers in 2010-11 dropped by 76 square kilometers to 258 square kilometers in 2021-22, a decline of approximately 22.75 per cent.
Year-wise Goa's tree cover steadily dropped in these 12 years -- 325 sq km of tree cover in 2013-14 dropping by two square kilometers in two years by 2015-16. It further sharply declined by 51 sq kms in 2017-18.
The statistics report also shows Goa's fish production dropping from 140.31 tonnes in 2022-23 to 135.73 tonnes in 2023-24.
In a double-whammy for the State's environment, 'hazardous waste' generated as per annual return (MTA) increased from 28,484 MTA to 44,873 MTA.
However, the report states that there are no "grossly polluting industries" discharging effluents into Goa's rivers.
The report also says 3.7 per cent of households in Goa do not have sanitation facilities and use open spaces in fields debunking the claim of the government that the State is 'Open Defecation Free'.
In other statistical snippets about Goa, the report says that the State's fisherfolk community of about 12,651 inhabit 41 fishing villages and that the State has a slum population of about 2.890 per cent.
Vehicle population in Goa is 10.20 lakh as of 2022, the report adds.
