NEW DELHI: A panel of the environment ministry has tweaked green norms to increase the lease of the Army’s firing range in Saharanpur, UP, from a period of 10 years to 30 years. The range falls on reserve land — Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand and the Kalesar National Park in Haryana.
The Forest Advisory Committee, after discussions with officials from UP and considering the request of the state chief secretary, recommended to extend the lease period from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2045.
It also modified the condition that “the approval for Field Firing Range under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 would be for a period of 30 years from 01.01.2016”.The forest panel observed that environment ministry accorded Stage-I approval to firing range in 1994 for 10 years and second approval for renewal of lease period was given on dated in 2007.