BHUBANESWAR: The state government has stayed its direction to the district collectors to formulate forest diversion proposals in line with the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 till detailed rules and guidelines are received from the Centre.
In a letter to all district collectors, additional secretary in Forest, Environment and Climate Change department Deben Kumar Pradhan said the government’s direction for preparation of diversion proposals should be followed only after receiving detailed rules and guidelines from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The state government had asked all district collectors on August 11 to formulate forest diversion proposals in line with the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, published in the Gazette of India on August 4. A direction to this effect has been issued by ACS forest Satyabrata Sahu to the collectors on the basis of the instruction of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Sahu had asked the collectors to formulate and submit the forest diversion proposals pertaining to their districts, especially for the government developmental projects as per the provisions of the Amended Act immediately.