Know how compensatory afforestation doesn't really 'compensate'

The compensatory afforestation is a unique legal requirement that seeks to offset the loss of forests due to infrastructural and industrial projects. But, the investigations of previous attempts of the same have shown that the plantations hardly resemble the forests being cleared. Officials have noted how mostly degraded, barren, and rocky land is allocated for afforestation. Activists argue that many times, this afforestation happens on lands that belong to the tribals and forest-dwellers.

Remote afforestation

The Compensatory afforestation rules also allow for remote afforestation in a different ecological zone. This does nothing to mitigate the damage in the ecosystem which is being tampered with. For instance, Hindustan Times reported in November 2022 that the environment ministry had given the nod for the loss of forests in Great Nicobar Island on the Bay of Bengal to be compensated with afforestation in Haryana’s Aravallis, 2400 km away. 

Fund utilisation

The Indian Express had noted earlier this year that Rs. 55,000 crores had been transferred to state governments for plantations under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act, 2016 in the last five years. However only Rs. 22,466 crore, i.e., only 40% of the total amount has been allocated for afforestation works. There are problems with money not releasing on time, especially when plantations have a seasonality. 

Inspector General of Forest, AK Mohanty had flagged the credibility of data uploaded on the ministry’s e-Green portal. He pointed out that about 70% of the data on compensatory afforestation was either “incorrect or incomplete.”

Biodiversity

The compensatory afforestation fall short in the area of biodiversity. The construction of the dam in Panna Tiger reserve would impact the biodiversity in the case of the Ken-betwa link project. It is important to note that not only tigers, but also a variety of other animals including vultures, pigs, wild boars, deer, bears, leopards, chinkara, mahseer fish, hyenas, jackals, foxes, chital, wolves, wild dogs, and red and black faced monkeys call the Panna tiger reserve home. The construction would also adversely affect the Ken Gharial Sanctuary.

Moreover, 10 villages will be submerged as a result of the project, which will affect at least 8,340 people. Sadly, the concept of compensatory afforestation assumes a dreadful silence on these matters.

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