Senapati villagers allege foul play
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 02 2021:
Denouncing the alleged 'misappropriation' of (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) CAMPA fund, a sit in protest was staged today at Sailet village, Senapati district, today.
It may be mentioned that CAMPA scheme also known as Compensatory Afforestation (CA) scheme is an undertaking of the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change that aims at promoting afforestation in forest areas affected by development and industrial projects and hill dwellers.
Due to certain discrepancies in the implementation of the compensatory afforestation scheme, some NGOs had approached the Supreme Court for relief.
As a response to the plea, the apex Court had on July 10, 2009 given approval of forming National Advisory Council under the Chairmanship of the Union Minister of Environment & Forests for monitoring, technical assistance and evaluation of compensatory afforestation activities.
The Supreme Court also approved the guidelines to be observed in utilisation of CAMPA fund, formulated by the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change.
At the demonstration organised by Federation of All Tribal Youth Clubs Manipur, the protesters asserted that the fund should be utilised in promoting afforestation and regeneration activities.
Instead of planting new saplings, signboards with scheme names are being attached on fully grown trees to mislead the people, they added.
The protesters then urged the Chief Minister and Forest Minister to do the needful and find out if the allocated funds were utilised accordingly.