NEW DELHI: An expert committee under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has recommended standard rules for diversion of forest land for infrastructure projects in 10 sectors such as thermal and hydel power and mining, a move that environmentalists feel is retrograde.
Under the existing environmental regime, the rules for getting forest clearance are different for each of these sectors, ensuring that the norms are stringent against possible misuse of forests.The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) in it meeting held on August 30, whose minutes were made public last week, recommended standard Stage-I and Stage-II forest clearance conditions for hydroelectric, industry, irrigation, railway, mining, road, thermal, transmission, wind power and pipeline projects.
“The FAC after thorough deliberation and discussion accepted the recommendation of Dr Tejender Singh’s committee regarding standard and general conditions for different projects. The project wise standard Stage-I and Stage-II conditions along with template of forwarding letter with regard to various categories projects is recommended to be incorporated with specific conditions in all approvals granted under the provisions of FCA 1980,” said the minutes of the meeting submitted to the ministry.
The expert panel’s recommendation for infrastructure projects comes within 100 days of the Environment Ministry releasing similar standard conditions for clearance in 25 industrial sectors. Kanchi Kohli, Legal Research Director, CPR-Namati Environment Justice Programme, said the very idea of standard rules was retrograde in nature as it meant that getting environmental clearance was merely an administrative formality.
“Each case of diversion (of forest land) requires deep inquiry of impact before decisions are taken. Through such a process, the government might be able to expedite approvals but will fail in environmental stewardship,” said Kohli.Tushar Dash of Vasundhara working in area of Forests Rights Act (FRA) expressed concern over the non-compliance of FRA in the present legal regime itself.
“All formats for forest clearance require certificate from the collector to ensure FRA compliance. But the FRA and the guidelines earlier issued by the ministry in 2009 require certificates from gram sabhas on completion of forest rights recognition process and consent of the gram sabha. These statutory requirements are being rampantly violated in forest clearance process resulting in violation of forest rights across the states,” he said.
Ministry officials, however, said the attempt was to simplify and bring transparency in the whole process while cutting down unnecessary delays for appraising projects.Sources said the ministry is likely to accept the FAC’s recommendations. Since May 2014, the ministry has taken a series of steps to ease green clearance rules for industry.During 2014-17, 1,419 proposals of development projects involving 36,575 hectares of forest land were granted forest clearances.
One size fits all policy
The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) in it meeting held on August 30, whose minutes were made public last week, recommended standard Stage-I and Stage-II forest clearance conditions for hydroelectric, industry, irrigation, railway, mining, road, thermal, transmission, wind power and pipeline projects.