The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India audited the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) from July 2019 to November 2022 and found that ?13.9 crore meant for afforestation was misused for unrelated expenses. The funds, intended for tree plantation to compensate for forest land diverted for industrial or infrastructure projects, were instead spent on items like iPhones, laptops, refrigerators, air coolers, and office supplies. The audit also revealed that funds were redirected to initiatives such as the state’s Harela scheme, tiger safari projects, building renovations, travel expenses, and legal proceedings.
The audit further identified 52 cases where user agencies (UAs) diverted 188.6 hectares of forest land for non-forest purposes without authorization. In some instances, road construction began on forest land without approval, and the forest divisions failed to take action or classify the violations as offences. Additionally, there were severe delays in compensatory afforestation projects, with implementation starting only after eight years in 37 cases, leading to a cost escalation of ?11.5 crore. The survival rate of planted trees was just 33.5%, significantly lower than the Forest Research Institute’s recommended 60-65%.
Moreover, the audit found that 1,204 hectares of land in five forest divisions were unsuitable for afforestation, despite being approved by divisional forest officers (DFOs) without proper evaluation. Despite this negligence, no action was taken against the responsible officials. The report also highlighted that CAMPA’s CEO disbursed funds between July 2020 and November 2021 without the required approval from the head of the forest force, violating directives issued by the principal secretary (forests) in July 2020.
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