RS members root for effective implementation of CAMPA fund

Rajya Sabha members today asked the government to ensure "effective implementation" of the compensatory forest afforestation fund, with some seeking steps to protect the rights of tribals and other forest dwellers.
The demand was raised during a debate in the Upper House on the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Bill 2015, which will pave the way for unlocking of nearly Rs 41,000 crore earmarked for forest land, lying unspent for about four years.
The CAF Bill will ensure expeditious utilisation of accumulated unspent amounts available with the ad hoc Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) which is currently about Rs 41,000 crore.

Initiating the debate, Bhupender Yadav (BJP) said India had failed to give rights to the forest dwellers especially tribals since 1947, but given finally in 2006.
"This government wants to ensure that the country's green cover grows and the rights of those living in the forests are protected. This fund will be spent in a transparent manner," he added.
Emphasising on the "effective implementation" of the fund, Chaudhary Munawar Saleem (SP) said the amount of around Rs 42,000 crore was not "adequate" and the Centre should contribute more in it.

"Another issues is that the bill says that equal amount will be given to all the states, but I want to say that area of the states and their population should also be considered while allocating the funds," he added.

P Rathinavel (AIADMK) said the key to increase the green cover was through better conservation practices and law. He too rooted for effective implementation of the fund and stressed that states should be "adequately supported" for forest conservation and afforestation programmes.
Harivansh (JD-U) emphasised on protecting the rights of
the forest dwellers especially the tribals. "In various reports it has been found that programmes for enhancing green cover have not been properly implemented. Centre must ensure that this fund is effectively utilised," he said.
C P Narayanan (CPI-M) said in most cases, powers and resources have not been passed on to the local bodies, which has adversely impacted the implementation of various programmes.

"This should be checked in case of this fund and all care should be taken to ensure that the rights of the forest dwellers, especially the tribals, are protected," he added.
He said that afforestation was "required and important", but it has to be undertaken in a scientific manner.
Dilip Kumar Tirkey (BJD) voiced his party's support for the Bill, but said the money must be utilised in a proper manner by the National Authority and should not be spent on anything else but for research purposes relating to afforestation.
Tirkey cited the example of China saying India too must adopt technology whereby uprooted trees can be planted somewhere else.

Veer Singh (BSP) said the Bill will help in utilising money deposited for compensatory afforestation and help usher in a Green India, thereby reducing the pressure on forests.
"It has been stipulated that states must have 33 per cent under forests but trees are being felled. Therefore this Bill becomes very important," Singh said, pointing out that afforestation should be done on both sides of the national highways and in properties belonging to Indian Railways.
NCP leader Praful Patel said "development and forests are two things which have to be taken together but this is a big challenge... There is no doubt that Rs 42,000 crore must be transferred as soon as possible to states because they are the ones who have to implement it".

He also stressed on proper utilisation of the fund and said that simply planting trees was not sufficient but "we need to have plants which are useful and ensure that they benefit the communities."
"Going in for random afforestation is not a good policy. This money must be spent intelligently, uniformly and wisely, that is the need of the hour," Patel said.
Raja stressed that "gram sabha's opinion has to be taken
into consideration because they represent the villagers and forest dwellers. They (Gram Sabha) must be taken into confidence. I agree with Jairam Ramesh (Congress leader) that Gram Sabha's approval or sanction is necessary."

Congress leader Digvijay Singh said he supported the idea behind the Bill but not the manner of implementation prescribed. He alleged that the Tribal Affairs Ministry had not been involved in the consultation while drafting the Bill.
Asserting that "Gram Sabhas should be the centre of everything", Singh charged that forest dwellers were being forcibly evicted, requesting that no work should be started as long as the cases pertaining to them are not settled.
He urged the government to review the bill and give some powers to state authorities.
Pointing out that "regeneration of forests has a lot of potential," Singh said the Government must give importance to employment generation while using the Rs 42,000 crore fund.

Singh expressed apprehension that the money will be utilised for paying salaries of officers instead of afforestation purpose, while opposing the procedure of implementation of the Act saying the Gram Sabha was not represented and it opened a window for eviction of forest dwellers, most of whom were tribals.
Lal Singh Vadedia (BJP) said the funds would be used for compensatory afforestation so that the impact of deforestation can be contained. He said the interests of forest dwellers and tribals should be taken into account.
"We cannot depend only on officials. We will have to take the forest dwellers and tribals into account. Award should be given to states which have done a good job," Vadedia said, adding, "We should pass this Bill without any Opposition".

DMK leader TKS Elangovan lamented the "diversion" of forest land for non-forest purposes. "We should not divert forest area for industrial or other purposes," he said.
Claiming that the "Compensatory Afforestation" in the title of the Bill denotes "relocation" of forests, he said it should be renamed as the "Targeted Afforestation Fund" Bill.
BJP's Harshwardhan Singh said the government was determined to get the Bill passed, adding that India needs to improve its carbon credits.
He said the "only way to revive forests is to give them proper protection", noting that "We will not be successful without taking taking the local communities and villagers into confidence".

Shiv Sena's Anil Desai expressed his party's support for the Bill, saying all states in the country stand to gain.
He too stressed that the Gram Sabha must have a say and the rights of the tribals and adivasis must be protected.