Archive · 17 Sep 2025
IIT Study: Indian Forests Face Health Decline
Imagine India has lots of trees, and from space, it looks like the country is getting greener.
But, a new study from scientists at IIT Kharagpur says that some of the forests are not as healthy as they used to be.
The forests' ability to make their own food (photosynthesis) is decreasing.
The greening is coming from crops grown on land that gets water.
The Eastern Himalaya, Western Ghats, and Indo-Gangetic Plain are the worst affected regions.
IIT Kharagpur researchers conducted a new study on Indian forest health.
The study found that India's forests are declining in health.
Overall greening is primarily due to crops on irrigated land.
Forests are showing decreased ability to perform photosynthesis.
Worst declines are in Eastern Himalaya, Western Ghats and Indo-Gangetic Plain.
- Who
- Researchers at IIT Kharagpur
- What
- Found a decline in the health of India's forests despite overall greening
- When
- No specific timeframe mentioned
- Where
- India, with declines in Eastern Himalaya, Western Ghats, and Indo-Gangetic Plain
- Why
- Forests' ability to perform photosynthesis has declined.
- Study Author
- IIT Kharagpur
- Lead Researchers
- Professor Jayanarayanan Kuttippurath and Dr Rahul Kashyap
- Main Finding
- Decline in forest health
- Impacted Regions
- Eastern Himalaya, Western Ghats, Indo-Gangetic Plain
- Greening Source
- Crops on Irrigated Land