The forest cover in the country is estimated to be depleted to 12 per cent of the total land area. The wasteland areas are expanding at a rapid rate of 50,000 hectares annually. One half of the area officially designated as forest land is degraded because of deforestation, damage due to fire, overgrazing and soil erosion, and absence of natural regeneration, according to Mr. K.K. Somasundaram, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.