RTI for Madhya Pradesh Van Vibhag — Tiger Reserve, Forest Land, FRA Rights and CAMPA Fund Records

Madhya Pradesh is the "Tiger State of India" — home to the largest tiger population of any state in the country — and holds one of the highest percentages of recorded forest area among India's major states. The Van Vibhag (Forest Department) of the Government of Madhya Pradesh administers over 77,000 square kilometres of forest land spanning the Satpura-Vindhyan highlands, the Narmada valley forests, the Maikal hills, and the Chambal ravines. Six tiger reserves, nine national parks, and dozens of wildlife sanctuaries fall within its jurisdiction. For citizens, tribal communities, researchers, and activists, the Right to Information Act, 2005 is a primary tool for holding this vast department accountable — for forest encroachments that remain unaddressed, Forest Rights Act 2006 claims stalled by Forest Department opposition, CAMPA funds diverted or underutilised, wildlife crimes not prosecuted, and eco-tourism revenue that never reaches local communities.

This guide explains how to file RTI with the Madhya Pradesh Van Vibhag, which authority to approach for which type of information, and how the appeal process works — including the critical point that all second appeals go to the Madhya Pradesh Information Commission (MPIC), not the Central Information Commission.

MP Forest Department — Administrative Structure

The MP Van Vibhag is headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), with headquarters at Satpura Bhavan, Bhopal. Below the PCCF are Chief Conservators of Forests (CCFs) heading territorial and wildlife circles, Conservators of Forests (CFs) at the circle level, and Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) as the principal field officers at the forest division level. Tiger reserves are headed by Field Directors who are typically of the rank of CF or DFO.

For RTI purposes, the DFO's office is the most important first point of contact for division-level records — encroachments, plantation and CAMPA utilisation, beat-level wildlife incidents, and FRA-related Forest Department objections. For aggregated state-level data or PCCF-level policy documents, file with the PCCF's office in Bhopal. For records specific to a tiger reserve — eco-tourism revenue, reserve-level wildlife crime data, patrol coverage — the Field Director's office is the correct authority.

Forest Encroachments and Action Taken Reports

Forest land encroachment is a persistent and sensitive issue in Madhya Pradesh, involving both large-scale agricultural expansion into revenue forest land and smaller individual cultivations in protected areas. Under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and the MP Land Revenue Code, the Forest Department has powers to detect, record, and evict encroachments.

RTI can be used to obtain: the register of encroachment cases in a named beat, range, or division for a specified period; the area encroached and the category of land (reserved forest, protected forest, unclassified state forest); whether FIRs were registered against encroachers under the Indian Forest Act; whether eviction notices were issued and whether eviction was actually carried out; and the current status of each pending case. This information is particularly valuable in areas adjacent to tiger reserve buffer zones — where encroachments may be compounded by Forest Rights Act claim disputes — and in tribal belt divisions where the boundary between FRA-protected cultivation and illegal encroachment is contested.

The action-taken report (ATR) is the most important document: it is the formal record of what the Forest Department actually did after detecting an encroachment, as opposed to what it says it did. ATRs that show eviction notices issued but no actual eviction, or encroachments detected repeatedly in successive years with no prosecution, are evidence of systemic non-enforcement.

Forest Rights Act 2006 — FRA Claims and Forest Department Objections

MP's tribal belt — Mandla, Dindori, Balaghat, Umaria, Anuppur, Betul, Chhindwara, Seoni — overlaps with the core and buffer zones of Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Satpura, and Panna tiger reserves. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA 2006) grants both individual and community forest rights to qualifying forest-dwelling communities who have been in occupation before 13 December 2005.

The three-tier adjudication process — Forest Rights Committee (FRC) at the Gram Sabha, Sub-Divisional Level Committee (SDLC), and District Level Committee (DLC) — involves the Forest Department as a stakeholder that may file written objections. However, the Forest Department cannot unilaterally block a claim; the DLC chaired by the District Collector is the final authority. Despite this, Forest Department pressure — often informal and undocumented — has contributed to large-scale claim rejections across MP.

RTI is an effective tool to surface Forest Department objections and their basis. From the DFO's office, you can obtain any written objection filed by the Forest Department against a specific FRA claim or Gram Sabha's Community Forest Rights claim, the grounds cited, and whether the objection invoked any provision of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 or the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. From the District Collector's office (DLC), you can obtain the DLC's response to the Forest Department's objection, the final order, and the rejection reasons recorded. If RTI reveals that a claim was rejected without physical verification or without a written Gram Sabha resolution — procedural requirements under the FRA Rules, 2008 — the rejection is challengeable through the DLC's appeal mechanism and before the High Court.

CAMPA Fund Utilisation

The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 established the Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) to manage funds collected from project developers (industries, infrastructure projects) whose activities involved diversion of forest land. Both the Central CAMPA authority and the State CAMPA account for Madhya Pradesh hold significant funds meant for compensatory afforestation, plantation maintenance, protection infrastructure, and eco-restoration of degraded forest land.

CAMPA funds have historically been criticised for poor utilisation, afforestation on unsuitable lands, low survival rates of planted saplings, and inadequate monitoring. RTI can expose each of these failure points. From the DFO's office or the CF's circle office, you can obtain: the Annual Plan of Operations (APO) for CAMPA activities in the division for a given year; fund releases and expenditure statements; the area under compensatory afforestation, species planted, and the density achieved; the survival rate assessment report (mandatory under CAMPA guidelines) for plantations raised in previous years; and whether expenditure on plantation supervision was made through proper procurement or through departmental labour.

From the PCCF's office, you can obtain state-level CAMPA fund receipts and utilisation across divisions and financial years — useful for research and advocacy organisations tracking whether forest diversion is being adequately compensated.

Wildlife Crime Data — FIRs, Poaching, and Human-Wildlife Conflict

The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 governs offences involving protected wildlife in Madhya Pradesh. The MP Forest Department registers wildlife crime cases through its Forest Protection Force (FPF) and in coordination with local police. Records of FIRs under the Wildlife Protection Act, seizures of wildlife articles, investigation status, and prosecution outcomes are held at the range, division, and circle level.

Madhya Pradesh's tiger population — which crossed 700 tigers as per the latest All-India Tiger Estimation (Phase IV, 2022) — makes tiger poaching data and prevention measures a matter of high public interest. Similarly, human-wildlife conflict involving leopards and elephants in fringe areas around tiger reserves generates significant community distress, and ATRs for specific incidents are frequently sought by affected families.

RTI can obtain: the total number of tiger, leopard, and elephant mortalities in a named reserve or division for a specified period, classified by recorded cause (natural death, poaching, vehicle/train accident, electrocution, conflict); the list of wildlife crime FIRs registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 for a specified period, with FIR numbers, offences charged, and stage of investigation or prosecution; the list of wildlife articles, traps, snares, and vehicles seized; and the status of any specific FIR by number.

The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, under Section 50, empowers forest officers to conduct searches and seizures; records of such operations are official documents disclosable under the RTI Act unless they fall within the narrow exemptions in Section 8 — such as information whose disclosure would impede prosecution of a live offender. Once an investigation is substantially complete or a charge-sheet filed, the exemption generally does not apply.

Eco-Tourism Revenue in Tiger Reserves

Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Satpura, and Panna tiger reserves receive several lakh tourists annually and generate substantial revenue from entry fees, safari fees, and eco-tourism operator licences. This revenue is meant to fund both conservation activities within the reserve and community benefit programmes for villages in the buffer zone. Lack of transparency in how eco-tourism revenue is collected, held, and spent has been a persistent concern raised by conservation researchers and local community organisations.

RTI can obtain from the Field Director's office: the total revenue collected from each source (entry fees, vehicle fees, safari tickets, operator licence fees) for a given financial year; the account into which revenue is deposited; total expenditure on conservation activities funded from this revenue; the list of authorised eco-tourism operators, the zone they operate in, and the fees paid; and whether any revenue-sharing scheme for buffer zone villages was implemented and the amount disbursed per village.

Key Legislation

The MP Forest Department's activities are governed by several statutes that define what records it holds and what RTI questions are most effective:

• Indian Forest Act, 1927 — Defines reserved forests and protected forests; governs felling, encroachments, and forest offences at the division level.
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 — Governs wildlife crime, protected species, tiger reserves (Chapter IVB), and eco-sensitive zone activities. Records of offences, seizures, and prosecution fall under this Act.
• Forest Conservation Act, 1980 — Governs diversion of forest land for non-forest use; CAMPA compensatory afforestation obligations arise from approvals under this Act.
• Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA 2006) — Governs forest rights claims; the Forest Department is a stakeholder (not a decision-maker) in the three-tier adjudication process.
• Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 — Establishes CAMPA and the legal framework for fund utilisation; RTI questions on CAMPA draw on utilisation records required under this Act.
• Environment Protection Act, 1986 — Governs eco-sensitive zones around tiger reserves; activities in these zones require prior approval, and the approval and monitoring records are disclosable under RTI.

How to File RTI with the MP Van Vibhag

Step 1: Identify the Correct Authority

• Division-level records (encroachments, beat patrol, wildlife crime FIRs, plantation reports, FRA objections): CPIO at the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the relevant forest division.
• Tiger reserve operational records (eco-tourism revenue, reserve-level wildlife census, safari management): CPIO at the Field Director of the relevant tiger reserve.
• State-level CAMPA, policy, and aggregate data: CPIO at the Office of the PCCF, Satpura Bhavan, Bhopal – 462004.
• NTCA/MoEFCC data (tiger estimation methodology, national park notifications, central CAMPA allocation): These are Central Government bodies — file at rtionline.gov.in; second appeal goes to CIC, not MPIC.

Step 2: File Online at rti.mp.gov.in

The rti.mp.gov.in portal is the correct online filing route for all MP state government bodies, including the Van Vibhag. Select "Forest Department" (Van Vibhag) as the department and choose the relevant sub-department or district office. The portal generates an acknowledgement with a registration number, tracks the 30-day deadline, and allows online tracking and response download.

Do not use rtionline.gov.in for MP Van Vibhag applications — that portal is for Central Government departments only. An application filed at the wrong portal will be redirected or returned, causing delay.

Step 3: Be Specific — Name the Division, Reserve, and Time Period

Vague requests ("all encroachment data for MP forests") are technically compliant to answer in an aggregate and uninformative way. Specific requests are far more effective: name the forest division or beat, specify the calendar year or financial year, and reference the specific FIR number or claim number where applicable. For FRA-related queries, include the village name, tehsil, and district. For eco-tourism queries, specify the tiger reserve and the financial year.

Step 4: Pay the ₹10 Fee

The prescribed application fee is ₹10 under the Right to Information (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. Applicants holding a valid BPL (Below Poverty Line) card are fully exempt from this fee under Section 7(5) of the RTI Act — attach a self-attested copy of the BPL card or certificate. For online filing at rti.mp.gov.in, payment is made through the portal's payment gateway.

RTI Act Section References

• Section 2(h) — The MP Forest Department, including the PCCF, all DFOs, and Field Directors, are "public authorities" under the RTI Act.
• Section 6 — The provision under which an RTI application is filed; no reason or justification needs to be stated.
• Section 7(1) — The CPIO must provide information within 30 days of receipt of the application.
• Section 7(1) proviso — Where information relates to the life or liberty of a person, it must be provided within 48 hours. Applicable, for example, where denial of information about an ongoing human-wildlife conflict incident or a missing person in forest territory bears on immediate safety.
• Section 7(5) — BPL cardholders are exempt from the application fee and from fees for inspection of records.
• Fee: ₹10 under the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005.

First Appeal — Section 19(1)

If the CPIO does not respond within 30 days, or the response is incomplete, evasive, or incorrect, file a First Appeal under Section 19(1) of the RTI Act within 30 days of the date of the decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

The First Appellate Authority for a DFO-level CPIO is typically the Conservator of Forests (CF) of the territorial or wildlife circle. For Field Director-level CPIOs, the FAA is a designated senior officer in the same reserve's hierarchy. The CPIO's response must include the FAA's name and address (as required under RTI Act rules); if it does not, the omission itself can be raised in the First Appeal. If you filed through rti.mp.gov.in, the First Appeal can be filed through the same portal against the registered application.

Attach to the First Appeal: a copy of the original application with proof of submission, the CPIO's response (if received), and a concise explanation of what was withheld or why the response is deficient.

Second Appeal to the Madhya Pradesh Information Commission — Section 19(3)

If the First Appeal does not produce a satisfactory outcome, file a Second Appeal under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act with the Madhya Pradesh Information Commission (MPIC) in Bhopal, within 90 days of the FAA's order or the expiry of the FAA's response period.

The MP Van Vibhag is a state government department — a state public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act. Second appeals against all state public authorities in Madhya Pradesh must be filed before the Madhya Pradesh Information Commission (MPIC). The Central Information Commission (CIC) has no jurisdiction over any MP state government body, including the Van Vibhag, DFOs, Field Directors, or the PCCF's office. A second appeal sent to CIC for an MP Forest Department matter will be dismissed or returned without a hearing. MPIC is the sole and correct second-appeal forum.

Second appeals to MPIC may be filed online through its official portal, by post, or in person at the MPIC office in Bhopal.

Penalty for Non-Compliance — Section 20

If MPIC finds that a CPIO failed to comply with the RTI Act without reasonable cause — by not responding within the statutory period, providing false or misleading information, or wilfully obstructing the supply of information — it can impose a penalty of ₹250 per day on the CPIO personally, up to a maximum of ₹25,000. MPIC can also recommend disciplinary action under the applicable state service rules.

Practical Tips

1. For encroachment queries, ask for the beat-level encroachment register, not just summary figures. The beat-level register is the primary document; summary figures in division reports are sometimes manipulated. Ask for the register and cross-check against the summary.
2. For FRA claim queries, file with both the DFO's office and the District Collector's DLC simultaneously. The Forest Department holds its own objections; the DLC holds the claim proceedings and final order. Filing with both provides a complete picture of where a claim has been stalled and what role the Forest Department played.
3. For CAMPA fund utilisation, always ask for the survival rate assessment report. The survival rate of planted saplings is the key performance metric; CAMPA guidelines require annual assessments. A division that shows large expenditure on afforestation but has never produced a survival rate report is a significant red flag.
4. For wildlife crime FIRs, specify the section of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 under which the FIR was registered, if known. This helps the CPIO retrieve the correct document. Offences involving tigers, leopards, elephants, and other Schedule I species are registered under Section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
5. For eco-tourism revenue, ask for the record of funds deposited in the 'Tiger Conservation Foundation' or equivalent trust account, if one exists for the reserve. Many tiger reserves route eco-tourism revenue through a trust or society that is a separate public authority for RTI purposes; filing with both the Field Director and the trust covers all revenue pathways.
6. Use rti.mp.gov.in, not rtionline.gov.in, for all MP Van Vibhag applications. rtionline.gov.in is the Central Government portal. Using the wrong portal causes delays, as the application will need to be forwarded or refiled.
7. If seeking data about NTCA directives or tiger estimation methodology, file a separate RTI with NTCA via rtionline.gov.in. NTCA and MoEFCC are Central Government bodies; their records are not held by the MP Forest Department and must be obtained through the Central Government portal with the second appeal to CIC.
8. Claim the BPL fee exemption if eligible. Tribal families in MP's forest fringe villages are among the most frequent RTI applicants on FRA and encroachment issues, and many hold BPL cards. Under Section 7(5), they owe no fee and cannot be charged for record inspection.