7/28/2014

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India to be desertification neutral by 2030:

Prakash Javadekar
The land area facing desertification threat is 81 million hectares, while 105 million hectares are
dryland
IANS | New Delhi June 17, 2014 Last Updated at 14:59 IST
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar Tuesday said India will
become desertification neutral by 2030, adding that 32% of India's
total land is facing the threat of desertification.
"In India, 69% of the land is dryland, and 32% of the land is
undergoing desertification," Javadekar said while addressing a
conference here.

Prakash Javadekar

The land area facing desertification threat is 81 million hectares,

while 105 million hectares are dryland. "It is a serious threat and has
to be stopped and reversed," he said.

The minister said integrated plan will be launched with agriculture, land resource and water ministries to
address the issue, and the process of desertification of the land would be reversed by 2030.
"Land degradation is directly linked to poverty, and its reversal will provide livelihood options for
thousands of people. India will be made desertification neutral by 2030," said Javadekar.
June 17 is observed as the World Day to Combat Desertification. It is a type of land degradation in which
a relatively dryland region becomes increasingly arid, typically losing its bodies of water as well as
vegetation and wildlife.

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