Dhami took the meeting of Uttarakhand Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority

A meeting of the Uttarakhand CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) Governing Body was held in the Secretariat on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. In the meeting, a detailed review of the progress of the schemes operated under the CAMPA fund was done. The Chief Minister directed the officials to use the CAMPA fund for sustainable management of forests in the state, forestry development, maintaining environmental balance and welfare of forest-dependent communities. He said that to increase the green cover in Dehradun city, action should also be taken to obtain permission from the Central Government level to use the CAMPA fund.

The Chief Minister said that an effective plan should be prepared for the conservation and revival of water sources in the hilly areas of the state. Conservation and revival of water sources in forest areas should be given top priority. For this, the Department of Drinking Water, Water Resources, Rural Development and Agriculture should jointly prepare an action plan along with the Forest Department. He directed to prepare a comprehensive strategy for forest fire prevention through modern technology and community participation. The Chief Minister said that tree plantation work should not be limited to just planting saplings but special attention should also be paid to the survival rate of the saplings. The Chief Minister directed to hold regular review meetings to ensure the quality, timeliness and effectiveness of the projects run from CAMPA funds.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to plant trees on a large scale in the state on Harela festival. In this, more fruitful, medicinal plants should be planted. He said that public participation should be ensured for plantation and people should be motivated to plant a tree in the name of mother. The Chief Minister directed the Forest Department officials that on the birth centenary of Gaura Devi, fruitful saplings should be planted in all divisions by the Forest Department.

Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal said that self-employment and livelihood based programs should be run to connect the local people with the work of forest conservation so that their participation in the sustainable use and conservation of forest wealth can be increased.

MLA Bhupal Ram Tamta, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, Principal Secretary Forest R.K. Sudhanshu, Principal Secretary R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Chief Conservator of Forests Sameer Sinha, Secretary Mrs. Radhika Jha, Chandresh Kumar, S.N. Pandey, Sridhar Babu Adanki and Forest Department officials were present.