J-K admin notifies new Compensatory Afforestation Fund Rules

The governor's administration has approved the new Jammu and Kashmir Compensatory Afforestation Fund Rules, 2018 for the state, officials said Tuesday.

The new rules will further streamline working of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) and institutionalise concurrent monitoring of works executed under the CAMPA funds, the officials said.

Commissioner Secretary Forest, Ecology and Environment, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi said the transfer of forest land for non-forestry purposes is governed by the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Conservation Act, 1997.

"User agencies are required to pay compensation for trees and cost of compensatory afforestation in lieu of the forest land diverted for non-forestry purposes. Besides, the value of ecosystem goods and services of forests, termed 'Net Present Value' (NPV) is charged from user agencies," he said.

Dwivedi said the Supreme Court in its order directed that a Compensatory Afforestation Fund be created in which all the funds received from user agencies towards compensatory afforestation and other charges shall be deposited.

He said in accordance with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change, the CAMPA was set up in the state in 2009.

Based on the orders and directions of the Supreme Court, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act was notified by the government of India in 2016 and CAF rules were notified in 2018 and both have come into force from September 30, 2018.

"In order to bring the state CAMPA rules in consonance with CAF Act 2016 and CAF Rules 2018, Jammu and Kashmir Compensatory Afforestation Fund (J&K CAF) rules, 2018, incorporating relevant provisions of both, with some state specific modifications, have been framed," Dwivedi said.

The state fund, he said, shall be utilised for assisted natural regeneration, artificial regeneration, protection of forests, infrastructure development, wildlife protection and related activities.

An independent system of concurrent monitoring and evaluation shall be implemented to ensure effective and proper utilisation of funds, Dwivedi said.

He said the new rules will give a major boost to greening of the state.