About CAMPA
With a cover of 23% of Geographical area of the country, forest in India comprise
of a number of diverse forest types and reserved areas designated as National Parks
and Wildlife Sanctuaries. In India, forest meet the livelihood needs of people living
in and adjoining the forests in about 1, 73,000 villages. Forests also act as carbon
sinks and regulators of water regime.
Many development and industrial projects such as erection of dams, mining, and construction
of industries or roads require diversion of forest land. Any project proponent,
government or private must apply for forest clearance from Ministry of Environment
and Forests (MoEF), before the conversion of land take place. This proposal is to
be submitted through the concerned forest department of the state government. If
clearance is given, then compensation for the lost forest land is also to be decided
by the ministry and the regulators.
Due to certain discrepancies in the implementation of compensatory afforestation,
some NGOs had approached The Hon’ble Supreme Court for relief. The Hon’ble Supreme
Court on 10th July 2009 issued orders that there will be a Compensatory Afforestation
Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) as National Advisory Council under
the chairmanship of the Union Minister of Environment & Forests for monitoring,
technical assistance and evaluation of compensatory afforestation activities.
Objectives of CAMPA
Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) are meant
to promote afforestation and regeneration activities as a way of compensating for
forest land diverted to non-forest uses.
National CAMPA Advisory Council has been established as per orders of The Hon’ble
Supreme Court with the following mandate:
- Lay down broad guidelines for State CAMPA.
- Facilitate scientific, technological and other assistance that may be required by
State CAMPA.
- Make recommendations to State CAMPA based on a review of their plans and programmes.
- Provide a mechanism to State CAMPA to resolve issues of an inter-state or Centre-State
character.
State CAMPA
The Hon’ble Supreme Court also approved the guidelines prepared by the MoEF for
utilizing CAMPA funds by an agency to be constituted in the states and to be known
as The State CAMPA.
Some of the important points in the guidelines are highlighted here:
- The State CAMPA would presently receive funds collected from user agencies towards
compensatory afforestation, additional compensatory afforestation, penal compensatory
afforestation, Net Present Value (NPV) and all other amounts recovered from such
agencies under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and presently lying with the
Adhoc CAMPA.
- The State CAMPA would administer the amount received from the Adhoc CAMPA and utilize
the funds collected for undertaking compensatory afforestation, assisted natural
regeneration, conservation and protection of forests, infrastructure development,
wildlife conservation and protection and other related activities and for matters
connected therewith or incidental thereto.
- State CAMPA would provide an integrated framework for utilizing multiple sources
of funding and activities relating to protection and management of forests and wildlife.
Its prime task would be regenerating natural forests and building up the institution
engaged in this work in the State Forest Department including training of the forest
officials of various levels with an emphasis on training of the staff at cutting
edge level (forest range level). In short, the department would be modernized to
protect and regenerate the forests and wildlife habitat.
The guidelines also talk about establishment of an independent system for concurrent
monitoring and evaluation of the works implemented in the States utilizing the funds
available.
In sum, the prime task of State CAMPA would be regenerating natural forests and
building up the institution engaged in this task in the State Forest Department.