Panaji: Goa forest officials will soon come out with a five-year plan detailing the use of funds for compensatory afforestation.
In a review conducted by the Executive Committee of the National Authority for Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), it was felt that ad-hoc and temporary schemes for compensatory afforestation do not bring about the desired improvement in the quality of forest cover and increase in biodiversity.
As per the new directions, the Five Year Plan will help in achieving qualitative and quantitative improvement in forest and tree cover, apart from increasing the biodiversity.
A plan is to be drawn up for utilizing the funds collected from the user agencies, which require diversion of forests, for various projects. These funds are used to offset the loss in green cover for investment in compensatory afforestation.
“The purpose of imposing NPV (on user agencies) is to compensate for the loss of ecological services and environmental values forests And therefore it should be used to restore forest landscapes in a systematic and judicious manner and to improve the quality of forest cover, enhance biodiversity richness, strengthen and optimize hydrological and other ecosystem functions,” said the executive of the National Authority. The committee said.
As per the latest instructions, Goa will have to submit internal as well as third party monitoring reports to the national authority on how the CAMPA funds were utilised.
The national authority has said that the new orders on compensatory afforestation funds have to be followed ‘sincerely’.
The National Authority has clarified that while planning the use of CAMPA funds, emphasis should be placed on forest cover, soil and water conservation measures, and on a priority basis in areas adjacent to the diverted forest land to compensate for the loss of forest cover and ecological But the wildlife habitat should improve. Services’.
“The state forest department will complete the demarcation and digitization of forest boundaries within six months for forest protection and plantation activities,” the CAMPA executive committee said.
Goa will also have to set up a state CAMPA website, which will provide map of plantations and photographs of areas before and after compensatory afforestation.
Goa has been told that suitable budgetary support should be provided to be able to monitor the activities to be carried out under CAMPA. Forest officers have also been asked to conduct ground inspection of compensatory afforestation.
“In order to improve wildlife habitat, CAMPA funds should be used only for fodder and fruit production” treeSoil and moisture conservation, growth measures and aggressive weed control,” Goa has been told.
gfx
The State CAMPA website will have before and after compensatory afforestation maps as well as photographs of where compensatory afforestation has been done.
CAMPA scheme emphasizes on afforestation, soil and water conservation measures and wildlife habitat improvement
Areas to be taken up on priority basis for compensatory afforestation are those areas which are adjacent to the areas where forests have been diverted for projects.
Demarcation and digitization of forest boundaries and compensatory plantation activities to be completed by the state within six months
In a review conducted by the Executive Committee of the National Authority for Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), it was felt that ad-hoc and temporary schemes for compensatory afforestation do not bring about the desired improvement in the quality of forest cover and increase in biodiversity.
As per the new directions, the Five Year Plan will help in achieving qualitative and quantitative improvement in forest and tree cover, apart from increasing the biodiversity.
A plan is to be drawn up for utilizing the funds collected from the user agencies, which require diversion of forests, for various projects. These funds are used to offset the loss in green cover for investment in compensatory afforestation.
“The purpose of imposing NPV (on user agencies) is to compensate for the loss of ecological services and environmental values forests And therefore it should be used to restore forest landscapes in a systematic and judicious manner and to improve the quality of forest cover, enhance biodiversity richness, strengthen and optimize hydrological and other ecosystem functions,” said the executive of the National Authority. The committee said.
As per the latest instructions, Goa will have to submit internal as well as third party monitoring reports to the national authority on how the CAMPA funds were utilised.
The national authority has said that the new orders on compensatory afforestation funds have to be followed ‘sincerely’.
The National Authority has clarified that while planning the use of CAMPA funds, emphasis should be placed on forest cover, soil and water conservation measures, and on a priority basis in areas adjacent to the diverted forest land to compensate for the loss of forest cover and ecological But the wildlife habitat should improve. Services’.
“The state forest department will complete the demarcation and digitization of forest boundaries within six months for forest protection and plantation activities,” the CAMPA executive committee said.
Goa will also have to set up a state CAMPA website, which will provide map of plantations and photographs of areas before and after compensatory afforestation.
Goa has been told that suitable budgetary support should be provided to be able to monitor the activities to be carried out under CAMPA. Forest officers have also been asked to conduct ground inspection of compensatory afforestation.
“In order to improve wildlife habitat, CAMPA funds should be used only for fodder and fruit production” treeSoil and moisture conservation, growth measures and aggressive weed control,” Goa has been told.
gfx
The State CAMPA website will have before and after compensatory afforestation maps as well as photographs of where compensatory afforestation has been done.
CAMPA scheme emphasizes on afforestation, soil and water conservation measures and wildlife habitat improvement
Areas to be taken up on priority basis for compensatory afforestation are those areas which are adjacent to the areas where forests have been diverted for projects.
Demarcation and digitization of forest boundaries and compensatory plantation activities to be completed by the state within six months