Meghalaya wants to use CAMPA funds to buy forest land

SHILLONG: Meghalaya environment minister Lahkmen Rymbui has written to the Centre, seeking to utilize 10% of the alloted funds for afforestation to purchase or take on lease high-value forest areas.
The state has recently received Rs 163.31 crore under the Centre's Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). According to a report by Indian State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017, the total forest cover in Meghalaya spans 17,146 sq km which is 76.54% of the states geographical area.Of that, only 1127 Sq Km is currently owned by the state government.
Talking to reporters, Rymbui said, "I have proposed that 10% of the CAMPA funds be used for purchasing or taking on lease high-value forest areas - catchment areas, biodiversity rich areas, community forest, wildlife corridors - to extend higher degree of protection to the high-value forest areas," he said.