New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANS): A satellite for monitoring the country's forest cover will be launched in 2013, the Rajya Sabha was informed Monday.
"A forestry satellite will be launched in 2013 so that we can monitor the forest cover of the country on day to day basis," Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh informed the Rajya Sabha.
"A family of forestry satellites will be launched, it will make real time monitoring possible," he said.
Replying to supplementary questions, the minister informed the house that the country has gained over three million hectares of forest in the last 10 years.
"India is one of the few countries where green cover is increasing. In Brazil, three million hectares of forest is cleared every year but in India we have gained three million hectares of forest in the last 10 years," Ramesh said.