The Centre will hold a comprehensive discussion with states and Union territories to explore various options for the mobilisation of Rs 1,55,000 crore required to add 31 million hectare under forest cover. The options being considered are multi-stake holder partnerships or public private partnership (PPP). Besides, the Centre will also seek views of state governments on raising funds by offering management contract or through the special purpose vehicle route. This issue will come up for discussion at the meeting on August 18 with environment and forest ministers of states and Union territories.
Sources told FE on Monday ??It is estimated that comprehensive treatment of the land including tree planting and ancillary activities required for sustainable natural resource management would entail nearly Rs 50,000 as the unit cost per hectare. So, the funding required for adding 31 million hectare would be approximately, Rs 1,55,000 crore. Hence, there is a necessity for attracting private investment in forestry. This could be through multi-stake holder partnerships/ PPPs involving the community, land owning agency, forest department and a financing sponsor and safeguarding the interests of the dependent communities. The agenda note has already been circulated to states and Union territories seeking their views at the proposed meeting.?? Sources noted that PPP model is currently being implemented for roads, highways and other infrastructure projects and thus the idea is to extend it for increasing the forest cover.
With competing demand for land in the country, the need to find additional 31 million hectare of land for afforestation would be challenging, especially, when only 5-6 million hectare would be from the recorded forest area. The agriculture bunds, absentee 31 lands for agro forestry and farm forestry can have potential of about additional 7.5 million hectare.
Similarly, unutilised common lands available with Panchayats and underutilised land can be put to temporary tree planting use. The convergence efforts and the synergy amongst institutions can release substantial unutilised or underutilised land.
The Centre will seek views on the potential area for agro-forestry/farm forestry and unutilised Common and Private land that can be put under temporary tree cove. Besides, what would be the extent of land suitable and available for afforestation in non-forest areas and whether private lands in large extents would be available for tree planting.
Meanwhile, the Centre would also take up with states and UTs need to improve the status of environmental compliance in the country. Under 17-categories of highly polluting industries, the major non-complying industrial sectors are chlor-alkali, thermal power, copper, iron and steel and pharmaceuticals. The 36,165 hazardous waste generating industries in the country are generating an estimated 6.2 million tonne of waste every year. The break up is, 2.7 million tonne per annum of landfillable waste, 0.41 million tonne per annum of incinerable waste and 3.08 million tonne per annum of recyclable hazardous waste. The sewage treatment plants (STPs) installed at present treat only 35% of the total quantum of sewage generated in the country.
Moreover, there are major gaps in handling and safe disposal of municipal solid waste in the country. Similarly, despite the provisions of the Biomedical (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 only about 57% of biomedical waste generated in the country is properly handled and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. At present, 10 states do not have even a single common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility plant.