India, March 25 -- The state of Odisha has witnessed massive destruction of forest cover due to rampant wildfires. In just the last three months, nearly 3,000 hectares of forest have been destroyed by fire, while over the past four years, a staggering 53,820 hectares of forest cover has been completely charred.

The alarming data was presented in the Odisha Assembly by Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia on Tuesday, highlighting the grave environmental crisis faced by the region.

Also

Year-Wise Breakdown of Forest Fire Damage The Minister provided a detailed report on the extent of forest fires over the past few years:

In 2021, a devastating 28,569 hectares of forest cover was lost to wildfires.

In 2022, the dama...