ES Reporter 

ITANAGAR, Feb 16: An FIR has been filed by one Tai Shiva against the state's Department of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, accusing them of misusing approximately Rs. 1200 crore designated for the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
Addressing the media, he asserted that despite receiving substantial funds from the central government since 2011, the state authorities have mismanaged the funds without executing any work on 499 forest clearance lands.
The FIR, lodged on February 9 before the SIC, exposes a multi-crore scam involving the misappropriation of CAMPA funds intended for compensatory afforestation. Shiva called for urgent action from investigative authorities, urging them to treat the case as a criminal offense and prosecute all involved parties rigorously.
He also informed the Chief Minister Pema Khandu himself is the Chairman of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) while seeking proper investigation. He also disclosed the he has already knocked the door of CBI; however, the central agency has diverted the case to the state agency.
Shiva further stated his intention to pursue alternative legal avenues. He announced plans to form a team to conduct on-site inspections across the state, beginning from the Itanagar Capital Complex and extending to all districts, to verify the existence of claimed plantations. If needed, will lodged case in both NGT and Court, he stated.
Documents obtained through RTI inquiries revealed that 499 forest clearances were unlawfully issued for the conversion of forest lands for various non-forest purposes such as highway construction, hydropower projects, and transmission lines. Despite user agencies depositing funds for compensatory afforestation, the state department allegedly orchestrated illegal Annual Plans of Operations (APOs) without adhering to relevant guidelines, claimed Shiva.
While condemning these actions as blatant violations of Forest (Conservation) Rules and Guidelines for Compensatory Afforestation, emphasizing that project plans were formulated without proper procedures and without consulting affected communities. Forest clearances were allegedly obtained deceitfully by misrepresenting reserved forest lands, private lands, and human settlements as non-forest or degraded lands eligible for compensatory afforestation, all in a bid to embezzle CAMPA funds, he added.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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