The state forest cover has decreased marginally since 2005, despite spending `471 crore during 2002–2007 on social and farm forestry activities.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India report tabled in the Assembly on Wednesday said the green cover has reduced by 300 odd square km in the state due to poor forest policies and lack of staff in the forest department.
Even key forest rangers’ post lie vacant in several reserve forests, the report said adding that Tamil Nadu was way behind the national forest commission recommendations and failed to have its own state forest policy.
As per the reports of forest survey of India, forest cover in the state showed marginal decrease from 28,665 to 28,306 sq km and the decrease was due to destruction of tree cover (canopy) area from 5,621 sq km to 4,968 sq km.
And due to this reason the state was able to achieve only 22 per cent of tree and forest cover against the target of 25 per cent. The survival rate of plantations in most of the forest divisions was less than 40 per cent.
As against the sanctioned 6,100 posts in the state forest department under the field and ministerial staff as on March 2011, the department had 5,261 men in position leaving 829 posts vacant in several categories.
Important posts like forest range officers, foresters, forest guards and watchers had been lying vacant during review period (2008-11), the CAG report added.
Inadequate monitoring by principal chief conservator of forests and poor progress in evicting encroachments in the core jungle areas were also cited in the CAG report.