Laptops over trees.
Uttarakhand, a state revered for its natural beauty and ecological significance, faces a stark paradox. While citizens rally to protect Himalayan cedar trees and discuss solutions for environmental degradation, a recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report exposes rampant misuse of funds meant for forest conservation. Money intended for afforestation under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) has instead been squandered on iPhones, laptops and office renovations. The report reveals that Rs 14 crore meant for reforestation was diverted to non-essential expenditures, even as afforestation projects lagged. The CAMPA mandates that funds be used within a set timeframe, yet in 37 cases, compensatory afforestation took over eight years. It is not surprising that under these circumstances, the survival rate of planted trees between 2017-2022 was a dismal 33 per cent, far below the 60-65 per cent standard set by the Forest Research Institute.
This financial mismanagement is even more alarming, given Uttarakhand’s mounting ecological crises. The state is already struggling with a drying Ganga, landslides and deforestation-driven disasters. Reports highlight unchecked hill cutting, unstable slopes and pollution concerns. Yet, those in power continue to divert funds away from genuine conservation efforts. Beyond the forest department, the Workers Welfare Board spent Rs 607 crore without proper approvals and 52 projects bypassed mandatory environmental clearances. Such governance failures demand accountability. Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal has ordered a probe, but unless it leads to strict action, public trust will further erode.
When citizens are fighting to save trees and restore degraded landscapes, the government’s financial recklessness is nothing short of betrayal. Uttarakhand must act decisively — before its rivers dry up, its forests vanish and its green cover becomes just another forgotten policy promise.