Cement, Energy and Environment

I To F. No. 11-73/ 2014-FC Govenunent of India Ministry of Environment and Forests (FC Division) The l'rincipal Sccret .uy (Fores t s), All S tatE' I Union Territory GovC'rnments Pary.waran Bhawan, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi · 11 0 510 DatC'd : 13th May, 2014 Sub: Guid elines for diver s ion of fores t land for non-fores t pur poses under the Forest (Conserva t ion ) Ac t. 1980- Simplified procedures to obtain approval u nde r the Forest (Conservation) Act, 19HO for diversion o f fo rest l.1n d loca ted in safety zone of cxistin~ . muw.c;- reg. Sir. I am d irected to say thnt paragraph 4 .7 (i) of the guide lines for dive rsion of forest land for non-fo res t purposes u nder the For~st (Conservation) Act. 1980 (FC Art) or i ~ i na ll y provided ilS below: · Fo1.:::. t mm rc:qrtlft'd fPr ::aji:ty ::m11· f or 1T1111 i11g apcrntimrs sltoultl 1wt /11: 11nrt of tilt' for,·<./ nn·n fiTOpo:>crl .for dzucni1111 Haw~1.:c:r. 11 should h<' illliicatcd sqmrntcly in Utr propu~ul Sue it 11rcn u•i/1 lrnl'L' to bt· r'cnccd nl lht• cost of llzr projeCt autl1om ty. Ft• rtlzer, J'rOJrXI olltlhon'ty !1 1 1/1 hm•!' to ticrrNI fwzrl~ Ull lil tile Furt'St Oq•ar ll/lt!ll l fm tlJr pro/L'C/1(11/ .7/1.1 f i!81:'11t'raltall of :;uch sn{t• l}l ::ullt.' area ami also wz/1 lwv:· to llt·m tlzt .:ost f'_( •tlforc~taltollt mwr one lllltl ltnlf fii ii CS of tit,· :.afay ~ nne area 111 dt-grnrh·rl/c: re:;t ds£"whrrf ." 2. Keep ing tn view th<! S<lid guideline~. though prior approval of Cenl rd l Governrncnl u nde r thp 1:c /\c t for Jtvers ion or forest land loca ted wiLhU1 safety 7.0ne of minin£ leilse was no l sousht hy the S tate Governments. detilils IIIZ Mea. m.:lp fie. o( forest lnnd loca te \'lo'ithin the safety zune wcr(' sepMa tCI \' provided in UH! proposills s ubmitted by the S ttlll' Govemmt•nL<; to o btain prior approw1l of Central Govenu11ent under the FC for diversion of Ute remaining forest land loca ted wilhin the mining lease. ;\ Similarly. Centr.d Govem mt'nl thou~,;h was no t accord ing appro val undN the FC Ac t for dtversion of forest land loca te J wi thin s11fc ty 7.one of m in ing leases. tl wns s l:!plrlating <• ppropri <~te rnndi ti on~. as provttlecl in pard 4.7 (i) of gu idPii nes issued umit!r the FC Ac t, in ~~~ct o f the fo1 ~s t la nd locatt-d wi thin safety L.onc of thP mini ng lea<;C~. 111 lht! appr~wab ior divP rSion Of the remainin g fores t )and )OCdt('d \Vithin tlti' mining )(•i\SCS. 4 rJus Mi n is tTY ttltcr rt>vrew of lhf' saad g t~~ci<'lincs observed that Jssignmt•nl on lease of f<..>rest land located wi thin safety zone o i the mining leaS(• in tavuur of tlw us~ r agendf'-'i, without ubtaini n e prior approval of Cen tra l Govemm~nt under the FC ALl for rL'i divt•rsitm ilmount.s to violation of da use (iii) of th r sec tion 2 rc Act. which reads as bch.JW "Nntu.nllt::tnll.lrnx 1111tjtlnng ,·e1r1 tnmed 111 rmy otlla law Jtor tilt: ftmt bmrs "' [.1rcc 111 a Sin it·, 110 Stalt• Gt.'l'l'rlllllml cor otlta nrllltorrty :;llllllmaJu·, t'... l.et' pl Wit!t lite pntu <lf'J'TOVnl ('( t! IP Ct'ltlrn/ Cm.wmmntl, any ordc'r dtrect111g tltattmy.for,·sllnnd or 1111\f JltlrlWII tllm·c~/llltl\1 /Ji.· w;signcd /~f li'IIY ~( /ciiSt' CIT t>//lt'I'WISt' /(1 n11y f'Til'•llt: perscm 0 1 /(1 flii.'J fl llfll!lflly, coryi(Jrnh'nn, a~t'IIC!f or may <lthrr urgn111ztltion npt owned, mtlltngt·rl '·" <"•.mtml/,·rl /•1/ G u llt' fl/111 or I '' 69