A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (cag ) has come down heavily on several states for not utilising, in fact diverting, funds meant for afforestation. In a May 5, 2006 verdict, the Supreme Court (sc) referred to the report and decided to requisition the funds from states. The decision incorporates the suggestions of the Central Empowered Committee (cec) -- a five-member body set up by the sc to examine all forestry-related issues.
sc has ordered the formation of an ad hoc body, which will now have to recover all the money collected in the name of the Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority (campa) from states and transfer it to the bank account, operated by the new body.The Compensatory Afforestation Fund under campa was supposed to be created and operationalised by November 2002, as per a sc judgment that year. The fund, which was supposed to receive all money paid by user agencies towards compensatory afforestation and net present value (npv) of diverted forestland, has still not been formed. Crores of money is lying unused with various officials of states, the court order said.
The judgment
