Illegal coal mining, tree felling reduce canopy
SHILLONG: The state Forest department will spend several crores of rupees for protecting and reclaiming forest cover lost due to illegal felling of trees and coal mining.
As per the India State of Forest Report, 2019, the forest cover in the state has decreased by 27.21 sq km. It also said that the North East as a whole has lost much of its forest cover.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, an official of the Forest department said, “The funds are a ray of hope for us. Although the funds received are not enough, hopefully the Compensatory Afforestation Planning Authority (CAMPA) fund will help increase the forest cover especially in private forests”.
Meghalaya has received Rs 163.31 crore under CAMPA which will be mainly used for plantation.
The official said the government will go ahead with plantation once the plan of action is approved.
About 80 per cent of the fund will be for plantation and the rest for infrastructure including augmentation of field staff to enforce legislation to prevent illegal felling of trees.
Other than the CAMPA fund, there is the Meghalaya Environment Protection and Restoration Fund, (MEPRF) which is about Rs 450 crore and meant for tree plantation among other things.
The state cabinet had finalised the guidelines for the operation of MEPRF last year.
A committee headed by BD Agarwal, who was appointed by National Green Tribunal (NGT), has been formed to oversee the utilisation of funds.
Again, there is Rs 50-60 crore with the state government from the Meghalaya Minor Mineral Reclamation fund. The government also hopes to use this fund to restore the forest cover.
The places, which were once covered in a canopy of greenery, are now bare and the blame is on illegal coal mining.
Stating that a tough job awaits, the official said, “It is hard but we have prepared a plan of action to be initiated by the NGT panel led by Agarwal”.
Stating that the government is able to control the illegal felling of trees, the official said that there is no degradation in government forests, but in private and community forests while pointing out it is the responsibility of autonomous district councils to prevent illegal felling of trees in these.
He pointed to the Meghalaya Tree Felling (Non Forest areas) Rules 2006 which regulate tree felling in non-forest areas.
Asked about illegal felling of trees for charcoal mainly in West Khasi Hills, the official said the department has set up a new Territorial Division in Nongstoin to check such activity.