After ₹420 Cr spent on afforestation, only 65–75% of trees survive in state
From 2001 to 2023, Assam lost 324 kha of tree cover, equivalent to a 12 per cent decrease in tree cover since 2000.
From 2011-12 to 2023-24, an amount of Rs 26,628.24 lakh has been spent under the State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority.
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Over Rs 420 crore were spent on afforestation in ten years. And even if the official survival rate is taken into account, one third of the money is going down the drain. From 2011-12 to 2023-24, an amount of Rs 26,628.24 lakh has been spent under the State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) for the creation of plantations and their maintenance. CAMPA are meant to promote afforestation and regeneration activities as a way of compensating for forest land diverted to non-forest uses.
The plantations were carried out in 15,868.93 hectares of land, according to an RTI reply from the office of PCCF. The survival rate of these plantations was said to be 65-75 per cent.
"To find out the survival rate of plantations, routine monitoring of the activities is carried out by teams consisting of senior officials. Moreover, third-party monitoring and evaluation of the activities are also carried out," the PCCF's office said in response to the RTI filed by advocate Nayana Moni Hazarika.
The Forest Department also claimed to have created plantations on 33,337 hectares of land under the Assam Project on Forest & Biodiversity Conservation Society (Phase I and II) between the years 2013-14 and 2024-25. Under Phase I of the project, an amount of Rs 41.82 crore was spent, and under Phase II, Rs 114.89 crore was spent.
"On average the survival rate of firewood plantations seems to be 70 per cent, though there is a lot of variation in the rate across the state. The rate was mostly measured by ocular estimation by the department," the office said.
Ironically, the initiatives have failed to make the state a little more greener. The state recorded a forest cover loss of 83.92 sq km between 2021 and 2023, according to the 'India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR 2023)' released last December.
Global Forest Watch also had a similar story. From 2001 to 2023, Assam lost 324 kha of tree cover, equivalent to a 12 per cent decrease in tree cover since 2000.