Centre notifies draft rules for use of ₹50k crore afforestation funds

ing the funds to states since 2009. So far, over ₹50,000 crore has been collected as part of the fund but NEWDELHI: The environment minless than ₹15,000 crore of it has istry has notified draft rules been disbursed. under the Compensatory AfforThe afforestation fund act was estation Fund Act 2016, which lay passed two years ago, creating down how and for what purposes national and state-level funds. the funds collected in lieu of However, a plea filed in the SC, deforestation are to be used. asking it to restrain the transfer

The fund is embroiled in a conof money lying with the ad-hoc troversy because of lack of clarity CAMPA has led to the top court on its use and the procedure for blocking the transfer money from its transfer to states. There are going into the national and state also fears of fund misuse. funds until the rules are framed.

The Supreme Court had When forest land is diverted directed the Centre to form a for non-forest purposes like Compensatory Afforestation development projects, the develFund Management and Planning opers must deposit funds for not Authority (CAMPA) in 2002, but just afforestation of land equal to as a stop-gap measure, the apex that being deforested but also court constituted an ad-hoc compensation for the economic CAMPA, which has been disburs- value of services provided by the lost forest area for 50 years, called Net Present Value (NPV).

As per the draft rules, 80% of the NPV should be used by the state for activities like assisted natural regeneration and protection of forests. The remaining 20% can be used for developing forest-related infrastructure.

Given that the claims of forest dwellers are not fully settled in many parts of the country, any provision for afforestation has the potential to violate their rights, environmentalists said.

“This draft violates the FRA (Forest Rights Act), the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and will result in further atrocities against the tribals,” Shankar Gopalakrishnan, a researcher with Campaign for Survival and Dignity, said.