Earlier forest was considered as a source of revenue and a bulk of the revenue used to come to the State exchequer from the forest. But now the situation has changed to such an extent that this idea has been dropped and the forest has to be preserved and protected for maintaining the ecological balance. As per the National Forest Policy enunciated in the year 1952, we should have a minimum of 33.3 per cent of the geographical area under forest. So far as the State of Assam is concerned, the position of Reserve Forest area is 15,203 sq. km while the Protected Forest area in 2,857 sq. km...editorial