Leh, Jan 15: The Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, chaired the fifth meeting of the UT Ladakh Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) in Leh today, calling for sharper planning and faster ground action in forest and wildlife works across the region.
The Forest Department gave a detailed presentation on the status of the current Annual Plan of Operations (APO), covering fund release, spending patterns and pending works. Officials briefed the meeting on progress made in the previous financial year and pointed to hurdles that slowed down the execution of approved activities.
The meeting also discussed the upcoming 2026–27 APO for the Forest and Wildlife Divisions of Leh and Kargil. Proposals placed before the authority included new afforestation drives, forest protection works, wildlife safeguarding measures, and projects focused on restoring damaged landscapes.
Reviewing the past year’s achievements, the Chief Secretary underlined the need to carry out works within set timelines and asked departments to ensure that CAMPA money is fully utilised on the ground. He pushed for the adoption of fresh ideas to boost outcomes in areas such as eco-tourism, plantation drives, and creation of public information tools for nature lovers.
Kundra also urged the officials to draw up plans that involve local communities, noting that Ladakh’s villages and youth can play a strong role in protecting forests and helping responsible tourism take root.
He further directed departments to strengthen monitoring and transparency in the use of funds, cautioning that every project must show visible ecological results in the fragile Himalayan region.
The department will revise the proposals and present an updated plan within a week.
