Cement, Energy and Environment

I I To F. No. 11-317/ 2014-FC (pt.) Government of India M inistry ofEnvironmen~ Forests and Clima te Change (Forest Conservation Division) The Chief Secretaries All State / Union Territory. Governments Indira Paryavaran Bhawan Aliganj, Jorbagh Road New Delhi -110 001 . Dated: 25th August 2014 Sub: Guid elines foe diversion of forest land for n on-fo rest purpose under the Forest (Conservation} Act, 198(). Non-availability of non-forest land for creation of compensatory affor~station- reg. Sir, I am d irected to refer to this Ministry's le t ter N o. 11-423/ 2011-FC dated 13 1h February 2011 on the nbove m entioned subject, wherein it has inter-alia been stip ulated that certificate regarding n on availability of non-fores t land for creation of compensatory afforestation shall be accep ted on ly from S tales having area of forest land m o re th an 50 % of their geographical area. The Ministry has rece ived requests from various States and Ministries in the Cen tral Government · that ce rtificate of non-availability of non-fo r est land for Compensatory afforesta tion m.-.y b e accepted from Chief Secre taries of States and Union Territories having . a rea of forest land m ore ilian 33 % of their geographical area. After careful examination of the ma tter, I am d irected to say that in partial modification · of this Ministry's said letter 11-423/2011-FC dated 20'11 , cer tifica te regarding non availabili ty of non-fon~~ t land for c reation of compensatory afforesta tion wi ll be accepted from the S tates having area of fores t land m ore than 33% of their geographi....1l a rea. I am fu~ther directed to say tha t ~o en sure that certificate regarding non -availability of non-forest land/ revenue forest Land in a State/ Union Territory is issued b y the Chief Secretary in an informed and objective manner, such certificat e.! regarding non-av ailability of non-fo rest or revenue forest for compensatory afforestation s ha ll be issued in the format enclosed on the personal Stationary .of the Chief Secreta ry. This issues w ith approval of the competent au thority. Yours faithfully, ----~ Ettcl.: 1\.s above. Cop_r to:- (H .C. Chaudhary) D irector 1. Prime Minister's Office (Kitul attn.: Shri Santosh D. Vaidya, Directo r), North Block, New Th:? lhi. I SI