TN Forest Policy faces funds hitch to get operationalised

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

The state government has framed a forest policy but funds are a hitch in getting it operationalised by all the departments in the state, according to a state forest department official.

The state forest policy , which aims to increase the forest and tree cover from present level of 21.76 per cent of the geographical areas of the state to 33 per cent, could get a new lease of life by January next year as we hope the supplementary budget could be tabled, the official said.

While forest department has asked local bodies and various departments, including that of housing department, to operationalise the Tamil Nadu State Forest Policy, 2018, the irony is that these departments would be seeking funds to operationalise it, said the official. “The budget has already been passed as such we are implementing the state forest policy with whatever funds we have,” he said.

The official told Express that the department is looking at funds from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to be dovetailed to implement the policy so that by 2030 the state could achieve 33 per cent of forest and tree cover.

 “We are planning to plant 1,000 saplings per hectare and the minimum cost would be Rs 50,000 per hectare while taking into account the infrastructure for providing it with water and fencing the area,” the official said, while refusing the give the exact figure required for implementing the policy across the state.

It is learnt that rather going in for a piece-meal approach, the state forest department is eyeing to seek funds in implementing the state eco-tourism policy as well as the trekking policy, which is under preparation, along with State Forest Policy.

According to State Forest Policy, the state will design its tree-based programmes to support planting of saplings on private land. Forest department with the help of research institutions will develop better quality clones of indigenous species and provide necessary scientific information on tree farming to farmers by developing viable agro-forestry models.

Not only that, the policy also envisages urban forestry, which includes planting tree species as road avenues and tree parks. This has to be promoted with the help of urban local bodies and non-governmental organizations to minimize the level of pollution and to ameliorate the urban environment and this requires funds.

The policy also highlights the management of fragile ecosystem of coastal areas with a thrust on mangrove forests, wetlands and Marine national Parks and developing mangroves as bio-shield along the coast.

Factfile:

1.       TN adopts State forest Policy by passing a Government Order on July 24.

2.       Funds have yet to be allocated to make the policy operational as there has been no budgetary allocation

3.       To plant more than 1,000 tree saplings on a hectare of land, it would cost the exchequer Rs 50,000.

4.       The state will design its tree-based programmes to support planting of saplings on private land.

5.       Forest department with the help of research institutions will develop better quality clones of indigenous species and provide necessary scientific information on tree farming to farmers by developing viable agro-forestry models.

6.       In a bid to boost urban forestry, the forest department plans to plant tree species as road avenues and tree parks. This has to be promoted with the help of urban local bodies and non-governmental organizations