(a) whether the Dhansingh Toli Irrigation Project in Gumla district of Bihar is still under consideration for clearance for a long time;
(b) if so, the date on which it was received by the Union Government for clearance ;
(c) the reasons for not clearing the proposal so far; and
(d) the likely date by which it is expected to be cleared?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS
(SHRI BABU LAL MARANDI)
(a) No , Sir.
(b) to (d) A proposal for diversion of 40.85 hectare of forest land for construction of Dhansingh Toli irrigation project in district Gumla was received from State Government of Bihar under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in May 1991. After scrutiny of the proposal State Government was requested to furnish certain details regarding area for compensatory afforestation and its detail scheme in July 1991.
Subsequently State Government submitted a revised proposal for diversion of 36.71 hectare of forest land for the same project in July 1997. State Government was asked to furnish certain essential details in September 1997 to which complete information was submitted only in October 1999 where the forest area for diversion has been further modified to 53.62 hectare.
After discussing the proposal in Forest Advisory Committee in the month of October 1999, Ministry issued in-principle approval on 3.12.1999 for diversion of 53.62 hectare of forest land subject to fulfillment of conditions namely; transfer and mutation of equivalent non- forest land for raising compensatory afforestation in favour of State Forest department, transfer of fund for compensatory afforestation over equivalent non forest land and transfer of fund for penal compensatory afforestation to an extent of double the area used in violation over degraded forest land.
It is now for the State Government to fulfil these conditions and send compliance report for issue of final approval under section-2 of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 .