The Supreme Court today said it was "surprised" over reports that the Punjab government had spent around Rs 86 lakh from the funds meant for compensatory afforestation, to pay lawyers appearing on its behalf before the NGT.
"We are surprised that the payment (for the lawyers) was made out of CAMPA," the top court said, adding that if the report was correct, then it was a "misuse" of the fund.
The Compensatory Afforestation Funds Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), created under the orders of the apex court on an environment-related matter, was meant to be used for afforestation.
A bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur referred to a media report which said that environmentalists in Punjab have questioned the Forest Department's move to spend around Rs 86 lakh to pay senior lawyers who were representing the state before National Green Tribunal (NGT) in a matter relating to Rs two crore deforestation case.
"We are surprised that amount of Rs 86 lakh have been spent," the bench, which also comprised Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta, said.
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Additional Solicitor General (ASG) A N S Nadkarni, appearing for the Centre, said the government would conduct an audit in the matter.
The ASG told the bench that the apex court might take cognisance of the Punjab CAMPA matter.
"You ask Punjab about this news item," the bench told Nadkarni and said it would not take cognisance at this stage as the issue of "judicial activism" would crop up.
The bench asked Nadkarni to verify the news item and get back to the court on September 27.
At the outset, the ASG told the court that the Centre was collecting data from all the states on utilisation of various funds created under the orders of the apex court and meant for protection of environment and benefit of people.
An advocate, assisting the court as an amicus curiae in the matter, raised the issue of appointment of a national regulator to monitor the utilisation of these funds and said the top court had delivered a judgement in this regard way back in 2011.
At this, the bench asked the ASG "what do you say about appointment of national regulator."
The ASG told the court that matter related to the appointment of a national regulator to monitor utilisation of these funds, was before the Union Cabinet.
The court had in May expressed displeasure over states "diverting" huge amounts of funds, meant for protection of environment and benefit of people, for other purposes like municipal works.
It had said that around Rs 75,000 crore, including around Rs 50,000 crore of CAMPA, was lying with the governments and asked whether there was any plan to utilise the money.
The apex court had earlier said there were around 10 to 12 funds which were created after the apex court orders in environmental matters and, as per information placed before it, the amount lying in them ranged over Rs 75,000 crore.
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