Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik on Saturday alleged that Government officials have siphoned off huge amounts of the Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) funds.
“In September 2019, Odisha had received Rs 5939.98 crore from the Union Government under CAMPA fund that aims to promote afforestation, regeneration of degraded forests and protection of wildlife. However, forests are being continuously degraded. CAMPA funds are being transferred to private persons’ accounts and withdrawn latter. Ruling party leaders and Government officers have distributed Rs 5,000 crore among them,” alleged Patnaik
He demanded that proper inquiry be conducted bring the culprits to the fore.
He alleged that elephants and other wild animals are entering human habitations and causing loss of human lives and damages to properties. The situation has worsened as no new forest has been created in recent years, he alleged.