PANAJI: Goa has earned the dubious distinction of being among four states that have fallen furthest short of its compensatory afforestation target. The state has only carried out 53.9% of what it set out to achieve, putting it in the league of Arunachal Pradesh (53.8%), Jharkhand (54.2%) and Mizoram (31%).
The targets are set by the national compensatory afforestation fund management and planning authority (Campa), which carried out a review on the subject on October 29. Goa’s less-than-ideal achievement here puts it far behind the national average of 88%.
In August, the Goa forest officials had sought approval from the Campa to carry out compensatory afforestation in Madhya Pradesh for forests lost in Goa. State officials said that Madhya Pradesh had already set aside land for the purpose on Goa’s request.
Goa asked for the exception citing a shortage of land. But the national authority is yet to approve the proposal.
Meanwhile, the national authority has now asked states, including Goa, to complete all its backlog of compensatory afforestation and penal compensatory afforestation by March 31, 2023. Goa has a backlog of 1,630 hectares, and plans to complete its target by carrying out afforestation on 500 hectares of land in 2021-22, followed by 565 hectares each in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
The state has carried out afforestation to the extent of 3,541 hectares so far. In 2020-21, Goa spent Rs 23 crore of Campa funds for compensatory afforestation.
The national authority noted that Goa carried out monitoring and evaluation of its afforestation activities under Campa through an independent body, the centre for environment education. The audit found that the survival rate of saplings planted for afforestation was 80% in Goa, which was far better than other states.
To be able to achieve the target of zero balance of compensatory afforestation, states have been asked to start work immediately, including that of setting up of nurseries.
States have also been asked by the national authority to submit their annual plan of operation for next financial year for Campa funds in advance, by December 31. For plans received in December, the national authority has said that it will grant approvals within a month, so work can take place at the earliest.
The national authority is also preparing guidelines to standardise monitoring and evaluation of afforestation taken up under Campa funds.
