Nagaon Faces Environmental Crisis Amid Deforestation and Rainfall Deficit
Environmental Challenges in Nagaon District
Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary (Photo: naparks)
Nagaon, July 1: Nagaon district is grappling with severe environmental challenges as rapid deforestation coincides with a significant decrease in rainfall, raising concerns about potential drought conditions in this vital agricultural region of Assam.
Data from Global Forest Watch indicates that Assam has experienced the highest loss of tree cover in India from 2001 to 2023, with an alarming 324,000 hectares of forest area destroyed.
Nagaon has emerged as a critical area of concern, with extensive deforestation reported in and around the Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary, as well as along the borders of Nagaon and Karbi Anglong districts, particularly in the Salna and Kondali ranges.
In the past decade, over 100,000 mature trees have been cut down in Assam, with 65,000 of those logged between 2021 and 2025. Forest officials emphasize that the ecological value of these mature trees cannot be replaced by plantation efforts, which fall short in compensating for losses due to infrastructure development, encroachment, and illegal logging.
Across the state, Assam has lost approximately 3,600 square kilometers of tree cover from 2001 to 2025, a loss comparable to that of 19 states and one Union Territory combined. Encroachment remains a significant issue, with 362,082 hectares of forest land in Assam currently under encroachment.
Moreover, the loss of forest cover is now coinciding with alarming changes in rainfall patterns. Nagaon reported a 74% deficit in rainfall from March 1 to April 29, 2025, categorizing it as experiencing a 'large deficit.'
The situation worsened during the 2025 monsoon season, with Assam facing an overall rainfall deficit of 42% between June 1 and July 28. This led to 27 districts, including Nagaon, being declared as facing drought-like conditions. In June 2025, Nagaon experienced a rainfall shortfall of 62-72%, one of the most severe in the state.
Agricultural officials noted that the lack of rainfall has already disrupted rice transplanting, a crucial process that occurs from mid-June to mid-July. In response, the state government has started to stock short-duration paddy varieties such as Bina-10 and Bina-11 for districts affected by drought, including Nagaon.
Experts caution that the removal of mature trees disrupts the local microclimate and diminishes moisture recycling through transpiration. Currently, Nagaon’s temperature is around 31°C, but it feels like 37-39°C due to 81% humidity, exacerbating both crop and water stress.