Why in the News?

The Madras High Court has ordered relocation of 495 families of Thengumarahada village within the eastern boundary of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) draw special attention to the right of animals to live free from fear and distress.

News in Detail:

1. The court ordered the total compensation amount of ₹74.25 crore be released from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) funds to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), with an outlay of ₹15 lakh each to 495 families.
2. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) must disburse the compensation and relocate the villagers within a month of funds released from CAMPA.

3. Rationale behind the order for relocation:

   1. The TN Government Order in 1948 granted permitted leasing out 100 acres to Thengumarahada Vivasaya Corporation (now Thengumarahada Cooperative Society) for farming.
   2. This was increased to 500 acres in 1961.
   3. Lately, it was deciphered that the village was situated in the confluence of the rich biodiversity regions of the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats which serves as a corridor for most of the long-ranging wild animals. The human settlement in the forest area was leading to man-animal conflict.
   4. The village lies in the valley region and had heavily fenced farmlands spread over 500 acres in the mist of pristine forest which can increase the instances of man-animal conflict.
   5. The human habitation in the area blocks the crucial migratory routes of Elephants in the Mudumalai- Sathyamangalam landscape.
4. The Court noted that though TN contributes only a negligible or minimum share to the CAMPA funds, the compensation to people cannot be compromised to their disadvantage. Also, the Centre has the constitutional duty under Article 48A to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country. Therefore, it becomes necessary for the govt. to allocate necessary funds to the NTCA.

About:

Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA):

1.  The CAMPA fund is a national-level corpus fund where the compensation amount collected from agencies like industries when forest land is diverted for non-forest purposes is deposited.
2. The CAMPA funds are used for compensating the loss of forest land and ecosystem services by
   1. Raising of compensatory afforestation
   2. Improving quality of forests through assisted natural regeneration
   3. Enrichment of biodiversity
   4. Improvement of wildlife habitat
   5. Control of forest fire
   6. Forest protection
   7. Soil and water conservation measures.
3. The utilization of CAMPA Fund is governed by
   1. The Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF Act), 2016 à provides for monitoring and evaluation of CAMPA activities 
   2. Rules, 2018 à provides for guidelines to submit the Annual Plan of Operations (APO), prepared by State CAMPA.
4. CAMPA supports creation of nurseries for growing quality planting material of locally suitable plant species.
5. Internal and Third-Party monitoring and e-Green watch web portal are used to monitor the CAMPA activities in States/UTs.
6. CAMPA activities are implemented by engaging local communities in the activities like afforestation, nursery raising, soil-water conservation and forest protection activities.
7. The Comptroller and Auditor- General of India (C&AG) conducts audit of the accounts of both National and States/UTs CAMPA Authorities as per CAF Act, 2016. 

Source URL: Madras High Court bats for right of animals to live without fear and distress; orders relocation of 495 families in Thengumarahada