Community forest management drive has created 243 sq km green envelope in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Jan 13: The investment in Ama Jungle Yojana ( AJY) and Joint Forest Management ( JFM) under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has yielded its dividend for Odisha with a net increase of dense forest area by 243 sq km during the last two years as per India State of Forest Report (ISFR)-2021. Odisha also topped the first in the rate of increase in Mangrove forest, and third in Forest rich Tiger Reserve. This was known as the State level Steering Committee Authority of CAMPA held under Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra on digital mode from Lokseba Bhawan conference hall today wherein Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Mona Sharma outlined the issues for discussion. While complimenting the department for these achievements, Chief Secretary Mahapatra directed the department to focus on preventive fire protection. Mahapatra said “As forest fire creates devastation to a large number of plant and animal life, the field officials must remain extremely vigilant to check the outbreak and spread of the fire.  He directed the DFOs and field level forest officers to have more fire-break lines in the forest and keep those clean for checking the spread of the fire. They were also asked to ensure the active involvement of the local community in this task. Further, Mahapatra directed to raise the seedlings through WSHGs. It was decided that the WSHGs would grow 18-month-old seedlings which would be used for plantation under different forestry prgrammes. Department was also asked to increase the area under silk plantation as these trees supported the livelihood activities of many forest-dependent families. Development Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Jena asked to have an independent third-party assessment of the investments done in the forestry sector and prepare a detailed report on the outcomes. Additional Chief Secretary Forest and Environment  Dr. Sharma appraised that as per ISFR-2021, the very dense forest in Odisha was 7213 sq km with an additional increase of 243 sq km during the last two years. Similarly, the State also became first in the growth rate of mangrove forests with an additional increase of 8 square km taking the total to 259 sq km. Maharashtra became 2nd with an additional increase of around 4 sq km followed by Karnataka with an increase of around 3 sq km. Similipal reserve forest also became third in Forest rich Tiger Reserve. She added that around 10,000 women self-help groups (WSHGs) and VSS would be involved in forest activities during the annual action plan period of 2022-23. The Committee deliberated and approved the APO of around Rs.1241 cr under CAMPA for the year 2022-23. The principal activities of the APO included compensatory afforestation, wildlife management, improvement of wildlife habitat, new plantation, maintenance of old plantation, silvicultural operation, silk plantation, soil and moisture conservation, forest conservation, fire protection, infrastructural support to front line workers, and application of IT and GIS methods in forest management. Secretary IT Manoj Kumar Mishra said that DFO offices would be connected through the OSWAN network. Principal Chief Conservator of the Forest, Sishir Kumar Ratho said that around 25,000-hectare plantation would be done under AJY in the areas of 500 vana sanrakshyana samitees with an estimated investment of around Rs 69 crore. So far, 4600 VSSs were involved in different activities of afforestation and conservation. Sri Ratho also appraised that 18-month-old seedlings would be raised by WSHGs in permanent nurseries of the department, and around Rs 98 crore would be invested in the activity. It was also decided that more nursery raising and afforestation activities would be taken up in convergence with MGNREGS.   Development Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena, Additional Chief Secretary Forest, Environment and Climate Change Dr. Mona Sharma, Principal Secretary Panchyati Raj and Drinking Water Ashok Kumar Meena, Principal Secretary Revenue and Disaster Management Satyabrata Sahu, Chief Executive Officer CAMPA Dr. Pradeep Raj Karkat along with senior officers of concerned departments participated in the discussion.