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New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
SC issues notices to Centre, Odisha govt on alleged illegal construction in Satkosia Tiger Reserve
NEW DELHI : The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Centre and Odisha government on a plea against alleged proposed constructions inside the Satkosia Tiger Reserve in the state. A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria took note of the submissions of advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, also the petitioner, while also asking the response of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC). Bansal sought quashing of the no-objection certificates (NOC) granted by district collectors of Angul, Nayagarh, Boudh and Cuttack for construction and tourism projects in and around the tiger reserve. His plea alleged unchecked expansion of tourism infrastructure and other proposed constructions in the ecologically sensitive tiger reserve. The petitioner also questioned the legality of directions issued by the district collectors, pointing out the provisional NOCs were granted without jurisdiction and in violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, besides forest and environmental laws. The Satkosia Tiger Reserve, spread across the districts of Angul, Cuttack, Nayagarh and Boudh in Odisha, is a crucial habitat for tigers, elephants, and several endangered species. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the plea said, in April 2018 directed all states for mandatory delineation of eco-sensitive zones (ESZs) around tiger reserves. The directions were stated to have clearly stipulated a demarcation of a minimum of 1 kilometer of ESZ encompassing a protected area, whenever it formed part of the buffer.
Time of India
30-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Roaring for change: Experts reflect on tiger conservation
India commemorates World Tiger Day 2025 with a symposium, Lord of the Jungle, highlighting the nation's crucial role in tiger conservation, now home to over 70% of the global population. Despite this success, alarming tiger deaths this year underscore the persistent threats of habitat loss and poaching. As India celebrates World Tiger Day 2025, conservationists, experts, and artists have come together to raise awareness about the plight and protection of the Royal Bengal Tiger — a species that, while emblematic of India's wildlife, continues to face grave threats in the wild. A two-day symposium titled Lord of the Jungle, curated by wildlife photographer and conservation advocate Shiladitya Chaudhury, kicked off on Tuesday at a city club with a compelling blend of dialogue, art, and performance. The event aims to spotlight India's pivotal role in global tiger conservation, given that the country is now home to over 70% of the world's wild tiger population — more than 3,700 big cats. Despite this remarkable achievement, recent data presents an urgent reality: over 20 tiger deaths have been recorded in just the first four months of this year. This stark figure has reignited concerns about habitat loss, poaching, and human-animal conflict. The symposium features keynote sessions by eminent voices in the conservation space, including Dhriti Banerjee, Director of the Zoological Survey of India; Sunil Limaye, Member of the Central Empowered Committee and former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Maharashtra; and Pradeep Vyas, IFS (Retd.), a veteran forest officer. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Live Comfortably: 60m2 prefabricated bungalow for the elderly in Pangkalan Jati Pre Fabricated Homes | Search Ads Search Now Together, they delved into ongoing conservation efforts, policy gaps, and the road ahead for protecting India's national animal. Actress Gargee Roy Chowdhury was among the other dignitaries. "Saving the tiger isn't just about protecting a species — it's about preserving the soul of our forests," said Gargee who was seen to enjoy the exciting display of the majestic animal through a photography exhibition that will continue till today. Adding a cultural lens to the conversation, the day also saw a powerful Chhau performance depicting themes of man-animal conflict, reminding attendees of the delicate balance between development and ecology. The visual centerpiece of the event is a photography exhibition by Shiladitya, showcasing 36 stunning images of tigers captured across Indian reserves over two decades. The exhibit offers not just awe-inspiring visuals but also a poignant reminder of what's at stake. ''Lord of the Jungle is more than an event — it's a reflection of where we stand in the tiger conservation journey. We've come far since the launch of Project Tiger 52 years ago, but the battle is far from over,' said Chaudhury. As World Tiger Day 2025 unfolds, the message from India's conservation community is clear: while there is much to celebrate, protecting the tiger remains an urgent, collective responsibility.
Time of India
29-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Maha govt approves construction of 500 new gram panchayat buildings
Nagpur: The Maharashtra govt has sanctioned the construction of 500 new Gram Panchayat office buildings under the Revised Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) for the financial year 2025–26, with a total budget outlay of Rs324.28 crore. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Of these, 127 buildings will be constructed in Vidarbha, reflecting a significant push to strengthen rural governance infrastructure in the region. The approvals include 73 buildings in the Amravati Division (covering Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Buldhana, and Washim) and 54 in the Nagpur Division (including Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, and Wardha), giving Vidarbha one of the largest regional shares under the scheme. The state's decision follows the approval of the annual action plan by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) in May 2025. The initiative aims to strengthen rural governance by creating proper administrative infrastructure in villages where existing Gram Panchayat buildings are either unavailable, unsafe, or in a dilapidated condition. The scheme mandates that selected villages must have a population of over 3,000 and lack a viable panchayat building or operate from structurally compromised premises, as per a GR dated July 18. Under the funding structure, 60% of the cost will be borne by the central govt and 40% by the state. Each approved panchayat will receive Rs25 lakh — Rs20 lakh for the construction of the office building and Rs5 lakh for an adjoining Citizen Service Centre (CSC room), which will house digital and public utility services. The state govt has directed the respective Zilla Parishads and district administrations to begin construction immediately after land and legal clearances. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Locations must be free of legal disputes and under full ownership of the Gram Panchayat. The directive also stresses the importance of transparency, mandating standardised building plans, cost boards, and completion monitoring at the district level. The RGSA, first launched as a restructuring of the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan, aims to build institutional capacity at the grassroots and strengthen decentralised governance. With this phase of approvals, Maharashtra hopes to accelerate rural development by creating functional spaces for panchayat operations, grievance redressal, and citizen outreach. The scheme will be monitored by the Directorate of Panchayati Raj, Pune, which will oversee fund disbursal and ensure timely completion of the works through regular field reports.
The Hindu
28-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Around 1,78,261 ha of compensatory afforestation raised; 85% of planned area achieved; gaps in fund use: CEC report
'India raised 1,78,261 hectares of compensatory afforestation against a target of 2,09,297 hectares between 2019-20 and 2023-24, achieving 85% of the planned area,' the Supreme Court-mandated Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has said in a report. The report filed earlier this month revealed that utilisation of funds under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) varies sharply across States. According to the report, Gujarat, Chandigarh, Mizoram and Madhya Pradesh recorded full achievement of their targets. Madhya Pradesh planted 21,746.82 hectares, fully achieving its target of 21,107.68 hectares. Karnataka also met nearly its entire target, covering 2,761.26 hectares against 2,775.12 hectares. Arunachal Pradesh planted 20,719.46 hectares against 21,478.03 hectares, achieving 96.6%. Uttar Pradesh reported 96.4% achievement, planting 5,877.16 hectares against 6,096.7 hectares. Assam covered 1,149.64 hectares against 1,191.82 hectares, achieving 93.8%. Sikkim planted 609.52 hectares, achieving 92.3%, while Punjab achieved 4,019.72 hectares against 4,471.94 hectares, about 89.9%. In contrast, Meghalaya had one of the lowest coverage, achieving only 114.56 hectares against a target of 514.76 hectares or 22.3%. Manipur planted 666.94 hectares against 1,759.84 hectares, achieving 37.9%. Kerala covered 171.80 hectares against 433.06 hectares, achieving 39.7%. West Bengal achieved only 748.25 hectares against 1,911.74 hectares, about 39.2%. Tamil Nadu planted 84.76 hectares against 262.39 hectares, achieving 32.3%. Andhra Pradesh reported 3,471.88 hectares against 8,663.46 hectares, covering only 40.1%. The report also reviewed the use of CAMPA funds during this period. National CAMPA approved ₹38,516 crore for State annual plans between 2019-20 and 2023-24. States released ₹29,311 crore to their Forest Departments, of which ₹26,001 crore was utilised. This means only 67.5% of the approved outlay was spent. Utilisation varied widely, with Manipur, Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh utilising 100%, 100% and 97.8% of the funds released to them, respectively. Mizoram reported utilisation above 91%, Sikkim 97.7%, Karnataka 96.6% and Odisha 87.9%. Chhattisgarh recorded 95% utilisation of the funds released and Gujarat spent more than it released, utilising 116% owing to the carryover balances. Several States lagged behind. Tamil Nadu used only 67.9% of the funds released, while Jammu and Kashmir spent 62.5%. Haryana also underperformed, using 57.4%. West Bengal spent 81.1% and Delhi just 26.9%, the lowest among all States. Telangana reported 60.4% utilisation and Andaman & Nicobar Islands spent 53.1% of the released funds. The CEC said that "delays in submission of annual plans by States, late release of funds and the lack of dedicated CAMPA offices affect seasonal forestry operations." 'Monitoring of survival rates remains weak and multiple layers in the fund release process contribute to underutilisation,' it said. Despite these shortcomings, it said progress under the statutory framework has been "significant" given initial difficulties, including disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With thousands of hectares of natural forests lost each year to development projects, the report warns that gaps in plantation survival and underutilisation of funds undermine the very purpose of the CAMPA mechanism. The compensatory afforestation regime originated from a series of orders in the landmark TN Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India case of 1995. In these orders, the Supreme Court mandated that when forest land is diverted for non-forest purposes, user agencies must provide funds to compensate for the loss through afforestation on non-forest land or degraded forest land. To formalise and regulate the management of these funds, Parliament enacted the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act, 2016. The Act established the National and State CAMPA to manage the money collected from user agencies. The CAF Rules, 2018, provided the framework for how these funds should be used. The Act and Rules specify that the money transferred to States and Union Territories can only be used for afforestation, regeneration of degraded forests, wildlife protection and other activities aimed at ecological restoration.
New Indian Express
28-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
India planted 1.78 lakh hectares under CAMPA in 2019-2023; gaps in fund use: Report
NEW DELHI: India raised 1,78,261 hectares of compensatory afforestation against a target of 2,09,297 hectares between 2019-20 and 2023-24, achieving 85 per cent of the planned area, the Supreme Court-mandated Central Empowered Committee has said in a report. The report filed earlier this month revealed that utilisation of funds under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) varies sharply across states. According to the report, Gujarat, Chandigarh, Mizoram and Madhya Pradesh recorded full achievement of their targets. Madhya Pradesh planted 21,746.82 hectares, fully achieving its target of 21,107.68 hectares. Karnataka also met nearly its entire target, covering 2,761.26 hectares against 2,775.12 hectares. Arunachal Pradesh planted 20,719.46 hectares against 21,478.03 hectares, achieving 96.6 per cent. Uttar Pradesh reported 96.4 per cent achievement, planting 5,877.16 hectares against 6,096.7 hectares. Assam covered 1,149.64 hectares against 1,191.82 hectares, achieving 93.8 per cent. Sikkim planted 609.52 hectares, achieving 92.3 per cent, while Punjab achieved 4,019.72 hectares against 4,471.94 hectares, about 89.9 per cent. In contrast, Meghalaya had one of the lowest coverage, achieving only 114.56 hectares against a target of 514.76 hectares or 22.3 per cent. Manipur planted 666.94 hectares against 1,759.84 hectares, achieving 37.9 per cent. Kerala covered 171.80 hectares against 433.06 hectares, achieving 39.7 per cent. West Bengal achieved only 748.25 hectares against 1,911.74 hectares, about 39.2 per cent. Tamil Nadu planted 84.76 hectares against 262.39 hectares, achieving 32.3 per cent. Andhra Pradesh reported 3,471.88 hectares against 8,663.46 hectares, covering only 40.1 per cent. The report also reviewed the use of CAMPA funds during this period. National CAMPA approved Rs 38,516 crore for state annual plans between 2019-20 and 2023-24. States released Rs 29,311 crore to their forest departments, of which Rs 26,001 crore was utilised. This means only 67.5 per cent of the approved outlay was spent. Utilisation varied widely, with Manipur, Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh utilising 100 per cent, 100 per cent and 97.8 per cent of the funds released to them, respectively. Mizoram reported utilisation above 91 per cent, Sikkim 97.7 per cent, Karnataka 96.6 per cent and Odisha 87.9 per cent. Chhattisgarh recorded 95 per cent utilisation of the funds released, and Gujarat spent more than it released, utilising 116 per cent due to carryover balances.
