Rs 20 crore allocated to check soil erosion in Shivaliks, Aravallis

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 24

Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal, while chairing the sixth steering committee meeting of the Haryana State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) today, approved the Annual Plan of Operation of Rs 239.78 crore.

A sum of Rs 111.58 crore has been approved for compensatory afforestation (CA), additional compensatory afforestation (ACA) and penal compensatory afforestation (PCA) to be carried out over an area of 1,197.73 hectares during the year 2023-24.

It was highlighted at the meeting that the Shivalik Hill Region in the northern part and the Aravalli hills in the southern part of the state are highly prone to runoff and soil erosion due to their hilly and undulating topography. During the rainy season, rainwater drains rapidly from these areas, leading to soil erosion and loss of topsoil. Therefore, soil conservation measures, including the construction of earthen dams, masonry structures, cement concrete structures, check dams, silt detention dams and crate wire structures, were required. A substantial budget of Rs 20 crore has been allocated for this purpose.

Further, Rs 10 crore has been approved for habitat improvement and infrastructure development in protected areas under the wildlife management plan for 2023-24. The state manages two national parks, seven wildlife sanctuaries, two conservation reserves and five community reserves through the Wildlife Wing.