Issue clear instructions: State forest dept to green ministry

LETTER STATED THAT STATE BODIES SHOULD USE THE NAME ‘MORTH’ WHILE APPLYING FOR PROJECT CLEARANCES ON UNION ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY’S PORTAL

MUMBAI: The Union ministry of road transport has expressed its intention to make it easier for state bodies to garner faster forest clearances on national highway projects. The Maharashtra forest department, however, has asked the Union environment ministry to issue formal instructions on recent directions issued by the ministry of road transport and highways (MORTH) regarding diversion of forest land for such projects.

Sanjeev Kumar, chief engineer, MORTH said, “The directions strictly pertain to major highway projects proposed by the

Centre. Some of the stretches of these projects are handled by state agencies, but owing to existing norms, there is a delay in overall project completion. We are not exempting any state agency from existing rules nor are we changing the rules, we are only bringing them under the aegis of the Centre while applying for clearances (under Forest Conservation Act) for faster forest land diversion.” Kumar added that the decision was finalised only after a meeting with the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MOEFCC). On June 30, MORTH issued a letter to all state governments informing them that state bodies like the public works department (PWD) and other agencies involved in developing national highway projects be exempted from purchasing non-forest land in lieu of forest area being diverted. This is mandatory for state agencies as per the Forest Conservation (FC) Act, 1980. Instead, MORTH suggested, state agencies be allowed to carry out compensatory afforestation (CA) on degraded forest land, which applies to certain small projects (link roads, minor irrigation projects etc which directly benefit local livelihood) under the Act.

The letter also stated that since MORTH and central bodies like the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are already exempted from the rule (purchasing non-forest area for loss of forest cover), state bodies should use the name ‘MORTH’ as the user agency while applying for project clearances on the Union environment ministry’s Parivesh portal.

Meanwhile, apprehending that state agencies may commence submitting proposals based on MORTH’S letter, Sanjeev

Gaur, nodal officer, Maharashtra forest department said, “We have referred the issue to the directorgeneral of forest (DG), MOEFCC, to issue formal communication regarding the ministry’s stand on the MORTH letter, and convey further course of directions when we receive such proposals.” MOEFCC DG Sanjay Kumar and inspector general AK Mohanty refused to comment. However, a MOEFCC officer looking into FC issues, requesting anonymity said, “The MORTH directive will apply to those state agencies working directly with NHAI only. Details on forest area diversion are still being examined, and a notification in this regard will be issued soon.”