India 2018

Environment 195
exploration and research leading to the advancement of our knowledge on the
exceptionally rich faunal diversity of the country since its inception in 1916.
Over the successive plan periods functions of ZSI have also expanded gradually
encompassing areas like the Environmental Impact Assessment with regard to
fauna; survey of conservation areas; status survey of endangered species;
computerization of digitization of data on faunal resources; Environmental
Information System (ENVIS) on faunal diversity; identification and advisory
services; National Designated Repository of type and voucher specimens;
supporting enforcement of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; establishment of
marine aquaria and Museum for awareness on conservation etc. and acts as a
custodian of the National Zoological Collections. Headquarters are at Kolkata
and 16 Regional centres are located at different parts of the country.
Forest Survey of India
Forest Survey of India (FSI), a national level organization under the Ministry is
engaged in the assessment of the country's forest resources on a regular interval.
Established in 1981, the Forest Survey of India succeeded the "Preinvestment
Survey of Forest Resources" (PISFR), a project initiated in 1965 by Government
of India with the sponsorship of FAO and UNDP. The main objective of PISFR
was to ascertain the availability of raw material for establishment of wood based
industries in selected areas of the country. In its report in 1976, the National
Commission on Agriculture (NCA) recommended the creation of a National
Forest Survey Organization for collection of reliable data through countrywide
comprehensive forest resources survey at regular intervals. Consequently,
PISFER was reorganized into FSI in June, 1981. After a critical review of activities,
the mandate of FSI was refined in 1986 in order to make it more relevant to the
rapidly changing needs and aspirations of the country.
Forests Cover Mapping
Forest Survey of India (FSI) is involved in forest cover assessment of the country
on biennial basis by interpretation of satellite data on a two-year cycle and
presents the information in the form of 'India State of Forest Report'. So far 14
cycles of forest cover assessment have been completed since 1987 till 2015. In
addition to forest cover, assessment of tree cover of the country is also being
carried out using the trees outside forests (TOF) inventory data. There is an
increase of 3,775 sq km in the forest cover and 1,306 sq km in tree cover of the
country as compared to 2013 assessment.
Forests Inventory
Inventory of forests and Trees Outside Forests (TOF) is the second major activity
of FSI. FSI has been following a new sampling design for National Forest
Inventory (NFI) since 2002. The country has been divided into 14 physiographic
zones and 60 districts randomly selected from these zones on probability
proportional to size for detailed inventory in two year cycle. About 7,000 sample
plots are laid in forest areas distributed over the country in each cycle for field