Question : PENDING PROJECTS

(a) whether various projects, including construction of roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, of Uttarakhand are pending with the Government under Forest Conservation Acts;

(b) if so, the details thereof during each of the last three years and the current year, project-wise and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether clearance is not being given even after depositing the fund with the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA); and

(d) if so, the reasons therefor and the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government for early clearance of these pending projects?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) & (b) During the last three years (2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15) and current year (upto 30th April, 2015) 79 projects of various categories, including 14 road projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, pertaining to the State of Uttarakhand are under consideration of the Central Government for grant of approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

(c) & (d) Grant of approval by the Central Government under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 is a continuing process. Quite often, though the compensatory levies, as per conditions stipulated in Stage-I approval, are deposited in Ad-hoc CAMPA, yet the adequate detail of remittance of compensatory levies in Ad-hoc CAMPA is not submitted by the State Government. In addition to this, many a times, compliance of other conditions of Stage-I approval are not complete in all respects and the Central Government has to seek further details/ documents from the concerned State Governments. These are the main reasons for delay in grating approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The Ministry takes prompt action to consider the project for forest clearance when compliances of Stage-I approval complete in all respects is received from the State Government.