• Pratham Delhi Education Initiative (NGO), Delhi
• Sri Lakshmi Narayana School, Chennai
• Vivek Vidyalaya, Mumbai NEW
• Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Matriculation school, Ajjannur, Coimbatore
• Bhavan's Girdhardas Mohota Vidya Mandir, Wardha, Maharashtra
• Bhavans Atmakuri Rama Rao School, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
• J.S.S. Public School, HSR Layout, Bangalore, Karnataka
• Bhavan's RIL School, Mouda, Nagpur, Maharashtra
• Bhavans Vidyashram, Jaipur, Rajasthan
• Jeevandeep Public School, Varnasi
• Bhavan's Vidyamandir, Puthucode, Palakkad, Kerala
• Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Irinjalakuda, Kerala
• Bhavans Sawan Public School, New Delhi
• Bhavan's Public School, R.C. Puram, Hyderabad
• Sri Sathya Sai Vidyaniketan, Navsari, Gujarat
• Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan School, Perumthiruthi, Kozhikode, Kerala
• New Era English School, Nashik, Maharashtra
• Godkar's Academy, Mumbai
• Bhavan's Kodagu Vidyalaya, Madikeri, Karnataka
• Bhavan's Adarsha Vidyalaya, Kakkanad, Kochi, Kerala
• Kulapati Munshi Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Thrissur, Kerala
• Bhavan's Vidya Mandir, Girinagar, Kochi
• Bellur Kamalamma Subbana Vidya Bhavan School, Mysore
• St. Kabir School, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
• Johnson Grammar School, Habsiguda, Hyderabad

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FOREST COVER

By D Bhargavi (V E)

As per the state of Forest Report 1995, the fifth assessment of the forest cover of the country, the total forest cover of India is 633, 400 sq km which is 19.27% of the total geographical area of the country. Out of this, dense forest (crown density more than 40%) accounts for 11%, open forest (crown density 10-40%) represents 8%, while mangrove forest occupies 0.15%. A decrease of 507 sq km in the extent of actual forest cover of the country has been recorded i.e., an annual reduction of 25,350 hectares. During the period 1989-93, forest cover in the North-Eastern Region of the country was reduced by 1418 sq km while in the rest of the country, the forest cover has increased by 933 sq km.
Based on the interpretation of IRS Imagery (1991-93) the country has a recorded forest area of 765,210 sq km and an actual vegetation of 639,600 sq km (of which Mangrove forest is spread in 4,533 sq km, Open vegetation is 249,311 sq km and Dense vegetation is 385,756 sq km). India has 416, 516 sq km of reserved forest, 223,309 sq km of protected forest and 125, 385 sq km of unclassed forest.

Deforestation
Increasing population, along with widespread poverty, has generated pressure on our natural resources and led to degradation of the environment. Of the 329 m.ha., the total land area in the country, it is estimated that about 174 m.ha. is degraded; this consists of agricultural as well as non-agricultural lands and forests. The forest resources are threatened due to overgrazing and other forms of over-exploitation, both for commercial and household needs, encroachments, unsustainable practices like unscientific cultivation and development activities. It is estimated that fuel-wood removal from the forests exceeds 235 m cubic metres, as against a sustainable level of production of only 48 m cubic metres. In large parts of forests, natural regeneration is inadequate due to excessive grazing of livestock, whose population is estimated to be 450 m. the over-exploitation and loss of habitat constitute a serious threat to the rich biological diversity in the country. India possesses the widest variety of biomass.

Conservation
Increasing destruction and degradation of forests and lands, especially, in the Himalayas and other hilly areas contribute to heavy erosion of top soil, erratic rainfall and recurring floods. It is causing acute shortage of firewood and loss of productivity. Another area of concern is degradation of forests due to biotic pressure.

The National Forest Policy explicitly recognized the multiple use nature of forests, rights of local populations, including the inadvisability of protecting forest resources without their active participation, and the role that forests play in the survival strategies of the poor. The task of regenerating the degraded forests and lands adjoining forest areas and other protected and ecologically fragile areas and implementation of eco-development programmes is being undertaken by the National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board.

The major schemes in the Wildlife sector concentrate on conservation, protection and development of wildlife and its habitat. The main strategy for conservation of bio-diversity is protection of variable habitats in representative ecosystems. A wide network of 83 National Parks, 447 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 25 (+6) Project Tiger areas, 200 zoos and 8 Biosphere reserves have contributed to conservation of these species. As per the Tiger Census carried out in the Tiger Reserves, the total number of tigers recorded was 3750.