The forest cover in Assam s less than 20 per cent of the total area. The Supreme Court decision to save whatever is left of the 20,270 sq. km forest cover in the state has soothed Assam's Forest Minister Pradyut Bordoloi's frazzled nerves. An estimated 15 lakh people have illegally occupied 7,000 sq. km of Assam's forest cover - roughly 26 per cent of the State's geographical area. Spurred by a court order, the Assam Government attempts to clear the State's reserved forests of 15 lakh encroachers.