India, Sept. 5 -- With the Supreme Court deadline looming next week, conservationists in Pune have voiced alarm over the lack of progress in identifying and protecting "deemed forests," including riparian tree cover.

In March this year, the Supreme Court directed all state governments to set up district-level committees to identify "deemed forests"-areas with forest-like characteristics that are not officially classified as forests. The court had asked states to complete the process and submit reports by September 9. The exercise was expected to involve citizen participation through detailed mapping.

At a press conference held on Thursday, conservationists highlighted that riparian tree cover also qualifies as "deemed forest." Yet, due ...