According to the report of the Forest Survey of India (FSI), 'forest coverage' in Gujarat reduced from 14,814 sq km in 2003 to 14,715 sq km in 2005.
The CAG report has some more acidic comments on state's afforestation plans and actions. According to the report of the Forest Survey of India (FSI), 'forest coverage' in Gujarat reduced from 14,814 sq km in 2003 to 14,715 sq km in 2005. 'Tree coverage outside forests' in Gujarat reduced drastically from 10,586 sq km to 7,621 sq km.
"The principal chief conservator of forest did not furnish any reasons for such depletion of tree coverage. Thus, implementation of the various schemes for preservation and augmentation of forests and tree coverage did not have the desired impact in the state," the CAG report pointed out.
A look at the larger picture provided by the report is not encouraging. A shortfall of 28% in plantation was registered as against the fixed target during 2004-09. In 2005, Gujarat's forest cover of 11.4% fell severely short of national average of 23%.
"To overcome this shortfall, the 10th five year plan visualised augmentation of tree coverage to 25% by 2007and 33% by 2012. Afforestation of 5.7 lakh hectare was planned every year to achieve this target. But due to non-availability of land, Gujarat government decreased its target plantation on one lakh hectare every year since 2004-05." However, even these reduced targets were not achieved fully, falling short by 28%. But the steam seems to have gathered recently as 91% of the plantation target was achieved in the year 2008-09.
In his response in June 2009, the PCCF stated that the targets were reduced keeping in view the fund allocation. The CAG report however outlines that, "the fact remains that commensurate plans to achieve the target as mentioned in Tenth Five Year Plan were not drawn so that appropriate funding arrangements could have been organised for achievement of targets specified therein.
In its concluding remarks, the report also highlights that only
"75% of compensatory afforestation (CA) was achieved, despite availability of funds, before these were credited to CAMPA accounts. Funds released by government of India for national afforestation programme were diverted for state scheme Sujalam Suphalam Yojana. In the test checked divisions, survival of plantations under Gram Van Scheme was negligible," the report states.
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