Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today reviewed the physical achievements and implementation progress of afforestation and ecological restoration works being undertaken across Jammu and Kashmir under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), emphasizing sustainable restoration of degraded forests, scientific monitoring and enhanced protection of vulnerable forest landscapes across the UT.
The review was held during the 27th meeting of the Steering Committee of J&K CAMPA and was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Finance; Commissioner Secretary, Forests; PCCF (HoF); Chief Wildlife Warden; CEO, CAMPA and other senior officers of the Forest Department.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed the Forest Department to ensure complete digitization of forest maps and boundary pillars for effective demarcation and protection of forest land. Stressing the need for improving the survival rate of plantations, he called for linking payments to contractors with the survival of planting material and directed the Finance Department to vet future tenders for incorporation of suitable clauses in this regard. He also instructed the department to ensure greater field presence of staff up to the rank of Rangers for safeguarding forests and enhancing green cover across Jammu and Kashmir.
The Chief Secretary also reviewed year-wise trends in forest diversion and compensatory afforestation. The presentation revealed that diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes has sharply declined after 2020, while the area treated under afforestation and ecological restoration programmes has nearly doubled in recent years, reflecting the administration’s increasing emphasis on ecological conservation and restoration.
Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Shailendra Kumar stressed upon recreating missing forest records on the pattern of the Revenue Department and advocated staggered payments linked with survival of planting material in phases of growth for ensuring accountability and better outcomes.
Commissioner Secretary, Forests, Sheetal Nanda highlighted the sustained plantation efforts undertaken by the department over the years and informed the meeting that a robust mechanism of monitoring and multilayer evaluation has been institutionalized to ensure efficient execution of works on the ground.
The meeting was informed that since inception of CAMPA activities in 2010-11, more than 1,06,023 hectares of degraded forest area across Jammu and Kashmir has been treated through afforestation, assisted natural regeneration and ecological restoration measures. During the same period, nearly 746.65 lakh saplings have been planted across different forest divisions, reflecting sustained expansion in plantation activities over the years.
Meanwhile the PCCF (HoF), Sarvesh Rai, informed the meeting that during the financial year 2025-26, nearly 2,952 hectares of area was treated under different CAMPA components across the Union Territory. He stated that over 12.65 lakh running feet of fencing was completedalong with 19.32 lakh patch sowing and dibbling interventions were carried out, while 68.70 lakh saplings were raised in nurseries and maintenance of more than 164 lakh nursery saplings was undertaken during the year.
He further apprised that the department executed 37,001 cubic metres of soil and moisture conservation works, constructed 108 water harvesting structures and ponds, completed 27 check dams and established more than 14,940 boundary pillars during the year for strengthening forest protection and ecological restoration efforts.
CEO, CAMPA, K. S. Jayachandran informed the meeting that plantation activities have witnessed a major surge after 2020, with annual plantation figures increasing substantially. Against an average annual plantation of nearly 46.60 lakh saplings during the last sixteen years, more than 67 lakh saplings were planted during 2020-21 and consistently high plantation targets have been maintained thereafter.
He further informed that during the financial year 2025-26 alone, over 40.35 lakh saplings and planting bags were utilized for afforestation and ecological restoration works. Elaborating on soil and moisture conservation interventions, he stated that since 2010-11, more than 5.13 lakh cubic metres of Dry Rubble Stone Masonry (DRSM) works and over 30,927 cubic metres of crate structures have been executed under CAMPA activities for slope stabilization and improving water retention capacity in fragile forest landscapes. Additionally, 1,732 water harvesting structures and ponds have been constructed for moisture conservation and groundwater recharge in vulnerable areas.
The presentation further highlighted that extensive fencing and protection measures have been undertaken for safeguarding newly established plantations and regeneration sites. Over 374.78 lakh running feet of fencing has been erected and 1,47,623 boundary pillars installed across Jammu and Kashmir for demarcation and protection of forest land.
The Chief Secretary was also informed that extensive catchment area treatment and biodiversity management works are being carried out in hydroelectric project areas including Pakal Dul Hydroelectric Project, Kiru Hydroelectric Project, Kwar Hydroelectric Project, Ratle Hydroelectric Project and Shahpur Kandi Project.
These interventions include afforestation, slope stabilization, pasture development, fire prevention measures, wildlife habitat improvement, eco-development activities and construction of inspection paths, bridges and biodiversity parks.
The meeting was further apprised that wildlife conservation infrastructure has also been significantly strengthened under CAMPA through expansion of rescue centres, development of biodiversity parks, construction of visitor interpretation centres, anti-poaching infrastructure and improvement of wildlife habitats in ecologically sensitive regions including Kishtwar High Altitude National Park.
The presentation also highlighted that substantial infrastructure has been created for strengthening field-level forest management and protection mechanisms. This includes construction of 42 Range Offices, 56 Block Offices, 22 Check Posts, 48 Guard Huts, 12 Chowkidar Huts and 17 Inspection Huts in remote forest areas for improving mobility, monitoring and protection capabilities of frontline staff.
The Chief Secretary was informed that monitoring of CAMPA works is being undertaken through geo-tagging of projects, public disclosure on e-Green Watch portals, regular inspections and third-party evaluations. The third-party evaluation conducted for works executed during FY 2022-23 recorded an overall survival rate of more than 51 percent across plantation sites in Jammu and Kashmir.
While acknowledging the physical achievements registered by the Forest Department under CAMPA, the Chief Secretary emphasized the need for further improving survival rates of plantations, strengthening scientific monitoring mechanisms and enhancing community participation in afforestation programmes.
He directed the department to focus on sustainable ecological restoration, protection of degraded and vulnerable forest landscapes and creation of durable ecological assets for ensuring long-term environmental resilience in Jammu and Kashmir.