2,548 hectare forest land diverted for non-forest purposes in 5 yrs: CAG report

Punjab government had framed a policy for purchase of non-forest land for compensatory plantation in 2010 and had authorised PSFDC to purchase non-forest land on behalf of the the forest department.

While the forest department told the session that PSFDC purchased over 27 hectare (68 acre 2 kanal 3 maria) land in 2019-20 and further purchase was made and the amount was transferred to Greening Punjab Mission (GPM) as per the government’s instructions, the audit noticed that 2,548.76 hectare of forest land was diverted for non-forest purposes during 2013-14 to 2018-19 against which Rs 46.86 crore was collected from user agencies. The report also mentions that PSFDC purchased only 7.88 hectares (19 acre 4 kanal) of land for afforestation by utilising funds of Rs 2.28 crore. The audit report further noticed that Rs 23.43 crore were transferred to departmental scheme Greening Punjab Mission (GPM).

“This reduced availability of funds to that extent for purchase of non-forests land. The reply is not acceptable as the objective for which cost of land was recovered from user agency was not achieved due to diversion of fund to other departmental scheme. Further, the department had not provided any documents to support its reply,” read the CAG report, adding that from 1993-94 to 2018-19, Rs 4.1 crore was recovered from forest guards on account of forest offences.

The CAG report noted that scrutiny of three of 10 selected territorial and wildlife divisions and five other territorial divisions showed that the department, in 98 cases, held forest guards responsible for negligence of duties causing loss to forest and ordered recovery of the loss from the concerned forest guards.

“As per duties of officers and employees of forest department defined in Forest Manual, a forest official is required inter-alia that he protects all forest produce and other government property, which is in his charge. He should be so vigilant that there is no fear of theft of forest produce, thorny wire and other government property. If any theft takes place in his beat he should make all possible efforts to trap the culprits. He would be responsible for safe guarding new plantations of his area especially from animals and fire damages. He should be familiar with the laws relating to collecting fine for forest offences and he should act upon those properly,” read the CAG report.

The non starter eco-tourism projects

Punjab government’s department of tourism launched Eco Tourism Policy in 2009 which strived to provide excellent eco-tourism services to the visitors after following sound principles of eco-tourism, valuing the living community and recognising the need to integrate the interests of people and nature. As per the policy, the department of forests and wildlife preservation and department of tourism were to identify the potential sites for development in a phased manner.

The CAG audit noticed that “three sites namely Harike Wetland, Chhatbir Zoo and Ropar Wetland were to be developed as Eco Tourism Project by the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB). As per information furnished by the PHTPB, these projects were started in 2015 for Rs 27.85 crore and were scheduled to be completed within 18 months. But despite completion of the projects with the delay by 17 to 34 months with an escalated cost of Rs 29.35 crore, the department failed to get possession of projects thereby defeating the overall purpose”.

“The department stated that infrastructure created by PHTPB has been taken over officially and will be made operational as soon as Covid-19 situation improves,” the report added.