Bolangir: Serious allegations of large-scale corruption have emerged regarding the use of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) fund in the Bolangir Forest Division over the past 10 years. It is claimed that funds allocated for compensatory afforestation have been misappropriated under the guise of forest restoration. Hemant Panda, an RTI (Right ToInformation) activist, has called for a high-level investigation into the corruption. Speaking at a press conference in Bolangir, Panda provided details of the alleged financial irregularities in the disbursement and utilisation of funds under the CAMPA scheme. In 2002, the Central government, following a Supreme Court order, established the CAMPA to manage and fund reforestation projects in areas where forests had been cleared for development, he said. According to information obtained under the RTI Act, the Bolangir Forest Division has received a total of over Rs 197 crore over the past 10 years for compensatory afforestation. Funds to the tune of more than Rs 190 crore have already been spent, and nearly Rs 7 crore unutilised amount has been returned to CAMPA. Panda also revealed that of the total Rs 197 crore spent, around 74,46,708 saplings have reportedly been planted across 27,293 hectares of land. He raised doubts about the reported number of saplings planted, pointing out that if the figures were true, the district would have planted trees five times the total population of its communities, which he described as highly unlikely.
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Analysing the cost per sapling planted in the last 10 years, Panda noted that each one had cost over Rs 250, significantly higher than the standard cost for such planting initiatives. He stressed that while compensatory afforestation is critical for environmental conservation, the misuse of such funds is jeopardising the livelihoods of local communities. Panda has demanded a thorough investigation into the scheme and has criticised the awarding of contracts to local companies, suggesting that the process lacks transparency. He referred to a controversial land acquisition in the Gandhamardan region, where land is being bought in the name of afforestation, but he believes the transactions may be part of a larger corruption scheme. In light of these issues, Panda questioned why companies like Adani were allowed to purchase land for afforestation in the Harishankar Range, hinting that private interests might be influencing the process.
