Visakhapatnam:Encroachments in the guise of Forest Rights Act, cultivation and smuggling is shrinking forests. As much as 36.44 sq km of forest area has vanished in the state due to cultivation and illegal felling of trees within a span of one year. Andhra Pradesh forest department has completed collecting data of loss of forest cover during 2010-11 and is set to come out with a detailed report for the year 2012 soon.

Khammam district recor-ded an encroachment of 19.28 sq km forest area, the highest. Warangal, part of Karimnagar district followed with 6.66 sq km and Nizamabad forest circle comprising of Nizamabad and Medak was encroached to the tune of 2.46 sq km.