Odisha CAMPA SLSC approves Rs 1,085.94 Cr Annual Plan of Operations for FY 2023-24

Bhubaneswar: The State Level Steering Committee of Odisha CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra in virtual mode today approved the outlay for Annual Plan of Operation (APO) for FY 2023-24.

During the discussion, Chief Secretary said that wildlife management activities extensively being carried out through CAMPA funds are to be closely monitored. The afforestation programmes are also to be monitored using CAMPA tracker and through satellite in every six months and to be verified in the field though frequent inspection by senior officers.

A joint meeting with concerned Department is to be conducted to prepare a five year action plan to upgrade forest road to Grade-1 metalling and the material intensive components such as culverts and causeway need to be covered under CAMPA funding.

The Chief Secretary further stressed on relocation of villages from Tiger Reserve Sanctuaries. The VHF networking needs to be improved in all division ensuring all days monitoring. Engagement of forest labourers under MGNREGS for 100 days work for which a definite pool will be created at the Gram Panchayat levels, he further said.

Mahapatra also directed the concern officials to prepare a comprehensive plan to avoid Human-Animal conflict. He further stressed that Chandaka Wild Life Division needs to identify all the revenue forest patches in order to develop elephant corridor.

State CAMPA chief executive officer Pradeep Raj Karat presented the details of activities proposed under CAMPA Annual Plan of Operations for FY 2023-24 with financial outlay of Rs 1,085.94 crore.

The SLSC, after detailed discussion, went through all the activities proposed in the APO and approved the same for submission to Govt of India for consideration.

The APO mainly focuses on taking up of plantations and several other activities like maintenance of old plantations, forest protection, fire protection, simultaneous Silvicultural operations for bamboo forests, soil and moisture conservation activities in forest lands, wildlife management, relocation of villages from protected areas, forest infrastructure development, training and research, capacity building, forest IT & GIS, raising of 18 month old seedling, publicity and awareness, monitoring and evaluation.

DGPS survey of all forest areas in the state is one of the major activities among these.

Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) Mona Sharma outlined the issues for discussion. Sharma suggested that plan made at district level for combating forest fire will be discussed with the concerned Collectors for effective control of forest fire and it should be uploaded in public domain. She also suggested preparing 5-year Action Plan for improvement of the forest roads identifying all the revenue forest patches.

Principal CCF & HoFF Debidutta Biswal, Principal CCF (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden Sushil Kumar Popli, Principal CCF (Nodal and FCA) Sushanta Nanda, Addl Secretary, FE&CC Deben Pradhan and DIGF, Integrated Regional Office, MoEF&CC, Govt of India Padma Mohanty including senior officers from concerned departments were present in the meeting.