Question : DIVERSION OF FOREST LAND

(a) whether the Government has received proposals from various States regarding diversion of forest land for various development projects;

(b) if so, the details thereof during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise including Chhattisgarh;

(c) the number of proposals sanctioned so far, State-wise;

(d) the time by which the remaining proposals are likely to be sanctioned/approved; and

(e) whether the Government has any proposal to authorise its Regional Office to accord permission of diversion of forest land upto 40 hectaresso as to expedite the process of approval and if so, the details thereof?

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

(a) to (d) The Central Government has received 5347 number of proposals from different State Governments/UTs during the last three years and the current year. Total 5248 number of proposals have been accorded approval as per the procedure laid down under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, its rules and guidelines. The details regarding these proposals are at Annexure-I.The granting of approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 is a regular and continuing activity as per procedure laid down.

(e) On 10th October 2014 Central Government published in the official gazette the Forest (Conservation) Second Amendment Rules, 2014 to provide for inter-alia constitution of Regional Empowered Committee (REC) at each of the Regional Offices and delegation of power to these RECs to finally dispose of proposals, other than those related to mining, regularization of encroachment and hydel projects, involving diversion of upto 40 hectares of forest land, and all proposals related to linear projects such as roads, railway lines etc. irrespective of the area of forest land involved. These Rules came into force on 1st November, 2014.