Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji
Panaji, Jul 13: In a move expected to strengthen eco-tourism conservation, the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) has permitted States and Union Territories to utilise CAMPA funds for the ecological restoration of degraded eco-tourism destinations.
The Centre, however, has clarified that the funds cannot be used for creating tourism infrastructure and will be restricted to plantation, afforestation and ecological restoration activities.
The decision follows inter-ministerial consultations on environmental action points, during which a proposal to use CAMPA funds for greening tourism destinations with sparse vegetation and heavy visitor footfall was examined. Subsequently, the CAMPA Executive Committee, at its meeting last month, directed that guidelines be issued enabling States and Union Territories to utilise the Net Present Value (NPV) funds available under CAMPA for plantation and afforestation around such sites.
The decision is expected to benefit Goa, where several eco-tourism destinations, including waterfalls, forest trails, wildlife sanctuaries and trekking routes, attract large numbers of visitors, particularly during the monsoon season.
Apart from eco-tourism sites located within protected forest areas, the Goa Forest Department promotes attractions such as the Cumbharjua Canal, Mayem Lake, Satpal Arboretum, Arvalem Caves and Carambolim Lake. The Goa Forest Development Corporation also manages popular destinations, including waterfalls and forest cottages.
A senior Forest Department official said continuous tourist activity has led to the degradation of landscapes around many such destinations due to trampling, soil erosion, loss of vegetation and other human-induced pressures.
Under the proposed guidelines, CAMPA funds may be utilised for plantation and ecological restoration in degraded forest and non-forest areas surrounding eco-tourism sites.
"The initiative aims to restore degraded landscapes, improve green cover, stabilise soil and moisture regimes, enhance biodiversity, and improve the overall environmental quality as well as the visitor experience," the official said.
The authority has made it clear that CAMPA funds cannot be diverted for the construction of tourism infrastructure and must be used exclusively for afforestation and ecological restoration activities.
Officials said the guidelines, to be issued under Rule 5(2) of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Rules, 2018, will specify the criteria for identifying eligible eco-tourism destinations, prioritising degraded landscapes, promoting restoration using native plant species and ensuring effective monitoring through geo-referenced documentation.