*FPF lacks arms, communication equipment
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 28: Jammu and Kashmir, which is known for its green gold wealth, is spending more money on the administrative affairs of the Forest Department than on the conservation of forests. Moreover, no serious efforts are being made to implement the State Forest Policy, which otherwise was formulated for conserving the existing forests and increasing the forest cover.
This dismal scenario vis-à-vis preservation and conservation of green gold wealth of Jammu and Kashmir has been brought to the fore by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India in its latest report.
In Jammu and Kashmir, Forest Department along with Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) and nine other wings are responsible for management of forests. The functions and responsibilities of the Forest Department are broadly classified into management of forest resources, development of degraded forest area, protection of forest estate, conservation of soil and preservation of water bodies and wildlife protection etc.
National Forest Policy, which was framed in 1988, lays thrust on bringing 66% of the geographical area in hilly States including Jammu and Kashmir under forest or tree cover. However, as per Indian State of Forest Report, forest area in the State remained static at 15.83% of its geographical area and growing stock (volume of all living trees in a given area of forest) in the existing forests decreased from 226.20 cum/hectare to 114.77 cum/ha.
“During the period between 2009 to 2014, administrative expenditure accounted for 86% to 90% of the total budget of the Forest Department and its wings thereby leaving a meager 10% to 14% funds under capital component”, CAG said, adding “this clearly indicates less spending on preservation and conservation activities”.
Though up to 95% of the allotted budget had been utilized by the department, the funding had been primarily (about 86% to 90%) for the administrative expenditure during the period leaving a meager 10% to 14% for conservation of green gold, the report further said.
The CAG has pointed out that J&K framed Forest Policy in 2010-11, more than 23 years after formulation of National Forest Policy. However, the objectives of this policy could not be achieved due to non-serious approach of those at the helm of affairs in the department.
This can be gauged from the fact that for proper implementation of the policy, a high-powered institutional mechanism was to be put in place. However, this was not done for the reasons best known to the concerned officers.
Under the National Forest Policy, working plans for each of the territorial division was required to be framed for the scientific management of natural forest areas. But, out of 30 territorial divisions, 25 were without any working plans over a period ranging between five and 25 years. “Though working plans were in place for five territorial divisions, these were prepared after a delay ranging between two and 16 years since expiry of previous working plan”, the CAG said, adding “of these five working plans, one had been approved by the State Government after expiry of period of its applicability”.
Grants of Rs 133.04 crore were earmarked for the forest of J&K under 13th Finance Commission award. However, against earmarked funding of Rs 66.52 crore for the period 2012-13 to 2013-14, the Union Government released Rs 16.63 crore only resulting in short release of Rs 49.89 crore, the CAG said, adding this was due to non-formulation of working plans for all the territorial divisions as grants were linked to the progress of formulation of the same.
Stating that Compensatory Afforestation Programme suffered due to slackness of the Forest Department officers, the CAG said, “year-wise/species-wise inventory of the trees removed and cut while diverting forest land vis-à-vis year-wise/species wise plants planted was to be maintained to retain ecological balance but this was not done and consequently ecological balance could not be ensured”.
J&K Forest (Conservation) Act, 1997 envisages that all efforts have to be made to identify equivalent non-forest area for compensatory afforestation. However, in 136 cases, 303.80 hectares of forest land was diverted for non-forest purposes. Though compensatory afforestation amount was received from the user departments/agencies, neither alternate non-forest land was identified nor certificate of non-availability of land was obtained from the district administration. “This indicates that stress had not been laid for ensuring transfer of alternate land for compensatory afforestation purposes”, CAG said.
According to the report, encroachment of forest land had increased by 88% from 9214.53 hectares in March 2003 to 17,353 hectares in March 2012. “This was despite the fact that department had a separate establishment in the form of Forest Protection Force to prevent encroachment of forest land”, the report pointed out.
As per Forest Protection Force Act, the members of force are required to be provided with all the paraphernalia so that they can protect the forests effectively. However, neither infrastructure nor arms and ammunition and communication system has been provided to the force.
During audit, it came to the fore that arms and ammunition had not been provided to any of the 11 units of Jammu division since their creation. However, out of 12 units of Kashmir division, four had been provided with weapons that too during the year 2012-13. Thus, out of the 23 units in the State, field staff of 19 units is neither equipped nor trained in use of weapons.
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