NEW DELHI: To achieve an open defecation-free India by 2019 under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the Environment Ministry has given general approval for diversion of forest land up to one hectare area in both rural and urban areas for construction of community toilets.
The ministry has directed general approval under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, for construction of government-approved community toilets on land involving partly or fully forest lands not exceeding one hectare, subject to approval of gram panchayat in rural areas and urban local body to utilise the forest land.
The move comes after Maharashtra approached the Centre seeking general approval under Section 2 of the FC Act, for diversion of forest land for construction of toilets for public welfare.
The general prior approval is not extended to forest land in National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries and other protected areas under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The Centre has set an ambitious target of making India open defecation-free by 2019 and toilets have been constructed in both urban and rural areas. The general approval shall be subject to the condition that the diversion is need-based and the divisional forest officer shall assess the bare minimum requirement of the land for the project. The legal status of the land diverted shall remain unchanged and will be notified as forest area.
“The approval is subject to the no-objection certificate issued by the competent authority under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forests Rights) Act, 2006,” said an order by the ministry. To save time, states have been asked to get general approval collectively for all proposed toilets on forest land by applying online, specifying the location, layout and area in each case.