The Dehradun forest division’s proposal for a Miyawaki plantation has sparked controversy due to its estimated cost of Rs 52 lakh per hectare. Indian Forest Service officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi has raised concerns over what he termed as potentially excessive expenditure. In a letter to Forest Force head Dhananjai Mohan in April 2025, Chaturvedi, currently serving as Chief Conservator of Forests (Research Wing), highlighted the proposed purchase of 18,333 saplings at Rs 100 each annually for three years. This rate sharply contrasts with the standard Rs 10 per sapling from the forest department’s nurseries.
Chaturvedi’s previous Miyawaki initiative in Kalsi, Dehradun, received praise for addressing soil erosion by planting 9,000 saplings of 70 native species over one hectare, costing approximately Rs 14 lakh. However, he criticised a similar proposal in Mussoorie, where plans included planting 7-8 ft tall saplings valued between Rs 100 and Rs 400 each, totalling Rs 4.25 crore over five years. This project was deemed scientifically flawed and financially excessive.
In response to Chaturvedi’s concerns, Uttarakhand Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal assigned senior officer Kapil Lal to investigate the matter. Preliminary work in Dehradun, such as pit digging and manure application, has commenced, while funds were surrendered in Mussoorie without sapling procurement by March 31. An inquiry is currently ongoing into these developments.
