Lok Sabha Question No. 1856 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-14
Subject: Border Projects of ITBP
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: RAJAN BABURAO  VICHARE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1856

TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.03.2017

## Border Projects of ITBP

## 1856. SHRI RAJAN VICHARE:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to State:

- (a) whether it has been decided to give faster clearance to border projects of ITBP and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has taken this decision in the backdrop of massive Chinese projects coming up across the border and if so, the   details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Ministry  has  granted  a  general  approval  for  all  road    projects within 100 km of Indo-China border and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the  details  of  the  projects  including  power,  railways,  roads  and  irrigation canals cleared so far?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a) to (d) Yes, Sir. The general approval under Section 2 of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980  for  diversion  of  forest  land  for  construction  and  widening  of  two  lane roads  by  the  Border  Road  Organization  and  other  road  construction  agencies entrusted with the job by the Ministry of Defence, in the area falling with in the 100 KM aerial distance from the line of actual control have been accorded vide MOEF&CC's No. 11-246/2014-FC  dated  4 th   July  2014  annexed  as  'A'.  The said  general  approval  has  been  extended  to  diversion  of  forest  land,  if  any, required for construction of similar roads for Indo Tibet Border Police  with in 100 kilometer aerial distance from the LAC (Line of Actual control), for which funds are provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs vide MOEF&CC's No.11246/2014-FC  dated  29 th January  2015  annexed  as  'B'.  The  details  of  the projects including power, railways, roads and irrigation canals cleared so far are annexed as 'C'

*****

!l

'i  o

## No. 11-24fl 2014-FC

## Govemment of India

## lVlinistry of Environment,  Forests ancl Climate Change (Forest Conservation  Division)

lnclira Paryavaran  Bh;rwan, Aliganj,  Jorbagh  Roati,

New Delhi - 110 001 pu1".q. 4rr,  Julv,  2014

## The Principal Secretary  (Forests),

Covernments of Arunachal Pradesh, Hirnerchal  Pradesh, Uttarakhancl  and Sikkim

5116: Gerrcral approval  urfder  S6ction-2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for cliversion  of {orcst lantl for construction  and widening  of two lane roads bV the Bolder  Roaci orgrurization  trncl other roatl construction agencies enhusted with the job by the Ministrv of Defence, in the area falling within  the 100 Km aerial  distauce  from the Linc of Actual Control-rzg.

Sir,

I arn clirt:cted  to say that the Ministry  of Defence  has brought  to notice of this Minisbv that rlut' ttt the lengthy  processes involved  in grant  of approval  untler the Forest (Conservattou) ,\ct, .l9tl(), many imPoltant Defence  Projects, especially  the border roads in areas closc to Linr'ol r\r:tuirl  Control (LAC) are getting d6layed.  It has also been informed  by the Ministrl' of Defctrct' that rltlay in glant of approval  under the afore-mentioned  Act for diversitln of forest  latrtl tctlr.rirOcl  fOr these road proiects  is adversely  affecting defence- prepareclness  of the c()Lrntl\'' i\linistrv  of Dcfcncc  has tl'rercfore. requested this Ministry  to expedite  clealallce  Proccss'

- l. fht, N4inistrv of Defence  has also requestecl this Ministry  to accord generarl apprt'r'al  for iiivt:rsitrtt  of Forest  lancl for widening of roatls (by the Border  Road Organization  (BI(O)  anti oilrcL roael construction  agencies)  which are identifierl,  by the Ministry  of Defence  as link loacls' trctwee,r]  Btuder  Roads from the LAC and National  Highways/state  Highways/Other  State Rt,acls falling in the area locate<l  within 100 kilometers aerial  distance from the LAC-
3. Tlit, matter. has been examined in this Ministry  and aftel careful cor-rsitleration,  lvith a \ ieu iO facilitat0 cr.eation  of requisite  road network along the LAC, this Ministry hereby deci'ies  to nccor.(l genr,ral appr.dval under  section 2 of the Forest (Conservtrtion)  Act, 1980  for clivetsitrtr  rrf iortst land recluirecl for (i) construction  and wirlening of wo lane roads by the BRO antl otht:r r.L,;rr.1 ct;rr.rstLuctrr)n  agencres  entrust€d  with  the  job  by the Ministry  of Del'ence, in the irlca  firlling \\,ithin l()() kilorneters acrial  diqqence  from the LAC  and (ii) widening of roar'ls (bv the BIto and trtlrt,r roacl t orrstruction  agencies)  which are itlentified  by the Minishy of Defence as litrk roads i.ctu t t,n Border Roacis  in the area within 100 kilometer  aeriil  clistancc frotn tho L"\C 'rnci

<!-- image -->

\nli()n.tl Highwavs/State  Highways/Other  State Roads,  subiect to fullllhnent  of thc follo$,ing (  (  )11({itiOtls'

- I r) l-cgal st<rtus  of the forest  land shall remain unchanged;
- (ii)  "fhis  gcneral approval shall be valid for the area located  within 100 kilometer  aelial rlistanct' ftom  the LAC;
- (iii) l'he user agency shall submit the project proposal  to the State Government in the prescribcd  i.e. Form  -A  as provided in Rules -6 of the Forest  (Conservation) Rules,2003;
- lit  )  State Covernment shall accord approval to the,proposal duly recommended by PlinciFal Chiof Conservator of Forests;
- {\')  Iiorest iand proposed  to be diverted shall be located  outside the Protected  Aleas notiliecl rrntlcl the Wiltl Life (Protection)  Act,1972;
- (i) User agcr.rcy shall explore  all feasible  alternatives  to minimize  use of forest land.  f.-ole'st lantl to be used for construction/ widening of the roads shall be restricted  to tlre l.rart' nlitrimum  anc{ shall be used only when it is unavoidable. The concernecl Divisional  Ftxest Officcr  shall  ct r.tify  to this  effecU
- (ii) Norlal officcr, the Forest (Conservation)  Act, 1980 shall submit monthly report to the conccrned  Regional Office by 5th of every month regularly  regarding aplrtoval  oi such cascs.  In the event  of failure, the exercise  of power by the State Governrnent to grant  such P(-rmissioll  ma1' be suspended  by the Central Govemment for a specified  periocl of tim(, or till the information  is submitted;  '
- (iii) Stato  Govc'rnment shall realise  from the user agency funcls  for creation of compcnsator.y .rffolt'station ovcr degraded forest land equal in extent to the area of forest lanci utilisec] l.trl  construction/  widening of the roads;
- {iv)  Uscr agency  shall be responsible  for any loss to the flora/fauna in the surrounclings anil [lrt,r't'fore  , shall  take all possible measures  to conserve the same;
- (t') Uscr Ag,er.rcy  shall pay the Net Present  Value (NPV) of the r{iverted forest land at thc r.rtes stipsl21g.1  lry this Ministry  from time to time;
- (r'i) f)erlrlission  accordel{ by the State Government  shall be subject to the monitoring  by tl-re cont crned Ilegional  Office of this Ministry;
- (r'ii) Forest land utilisecl for construction  or widening  of the road shall not tre used for anv pulpose other than that specified in this approval. Any change  in the lancl use without prior pormission  of the Central  Government shall amount to the violation  of Forr.st (Constlrvation)  Act, 1980.  Request  of such changes  shall be made to the Rcgional  C)Ificc by the Notlal C)fficer  (F-orest  Conservation) of the State/Union Territory;
- 1r iii)  State Forost DePartmer-rt  /State  Government  or the concerned  Regional Office, liay inrplr5g  6r.tnr  time  to time any other conciition  in the interest of conservati.n,  p*ltecti.r.r .lnrl  /(rr (  l('v(,1( )pmelrt  of forests.

/n''-'

<!-- image -->

## (ix) 1'his general approval shall be valid till 31"t December  2019.

'l his issue with thc approval  of the Competent  Authority.

## (  opy tor

- L Prirne Minister's  Office (Kinil attn,: Shti Santosh  D. Vaidya, Director).
- L Scr:retarv,  Ministrv  of Defence;  Govemment of India, New Delhi.
- L Secrt'tarv, Ministry  of Road Transport and Highways, Government of h.rt1ia.
- -1.  'fhc Se.cretarv (Coordination),  Cabinet  Secretariat,  Rashtrapati  Bhawan, New Delhi.
5. The Member-Secretary,  Planning Commission,  Government of Inclia Nerv Delhi.
- ('. Dilt'ckrr General, Borcler  Roads Organization, New Delhi.
7. Principal  Chief Conservator of Forests,  Govemment of Arunacl'ral Pradcslr, Himachal Praele  slr, Uttarakhantl  and Sikkim.
- Nodal Officer, the Forest  (Conservation)  Act, 1980, Govemment of Arunachal I,raclesh, Hrmachal Prac{esh, Uttarakhand  and Sikkim. t.
- All Regional  ()ffices,  Ministry of Environment,  Forests and Climate Change (lrloEF(Cr. Covt'r'nnrc.nt oI India (Gol).
- .ll), Joint  Sccretary irr-charge, Impact Assessment  Division,  MoEFCC, GoI.
- I IAll Assistant Inspector  General  of Forests/  Directors in the Forest Conservation  Divisiorr, l\4ol'.FCC,  Col.
- ll. I)iru'tor, Ilegional  Offices  Headquarters Division,  MoEFCC, Gol.
- '^''/^^. \p;-  5r. Dilcetor (Teclrnical),  NIC, MoEFCC, GoI with a request to place a 6s1.ry of thc l!.ttr:r orl r,r'elrsite  of this  Ministly.
- i 1.  Sr'. PIS to the Secretarv,  Ministry  of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Col.
- lr. 5r. PI5 b the Director General of Forests & Special Secretary,  MoEFCC.
- Io.  Sr. P[5 to the Ad,ll. Director Geneial of Forests  (Forest Conservation), MoEFCC.
- i. [Ti kr the lnspector  General of Forests  (Forest Conservation),  MoEFCC.
- Jfl.-- G u"t ltl t.-ile.

61a"'"r Dirct-tor

(H.C.  Chaudhary)

<!-- image -->

Yours faithl ullv

ipn-"

Ilircctor

<!-- image -->

<!-- image -->

## ANNEXURE-C

| Statement Showing Total Area Diverted (Category Wise) for Forest Land Under FC ACT, 1980   | Statement Showing Total Area Diverted (Category Wise) for Forest Land Under FC ACT, 1980   | Statement Showing Total Area Diverted (Category Wise) for Forest Land Under FC ACT, 1980   | Statement Showing Total Area Diverted (Category Wise) for Forest Land Under FC ACT, 1980   | Statement Showing Total Area Diverted (Category Wise) for Forest Land Under FC ACT, 1980   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Category : All States                                                                      | Category : All States                                                                      | Category : All States                                                                      | During the Period : 25/10/1980 to                                                          | During the Period : 25/10/1980 to                                                          |
| S. NO.                                                                                     |                                                                                            |                                                                                            | Approved                                                                                   | Approved                                                                                   |
|                                                                                            |                                                                                            | CATEGORY                                                                                   | No. of Cases                                                                               | Total Land Diverted (Ha.)                                                                  |
| 1                                                                                          | Power                                                                                      | (a) Hydel                                                                                  | 441                                                                                        | 87113.97                                                                                   |
| 1                                                                                          | Power                                                                                      | (b) Thermal                                                                                | 54                                                                                         | 7554.45                                                                                    |
| 1                                                                                          | Power                                                                                      | (c) Wind Power                                                                             | 64                                                                                         | 3691.68                                                                                    |
| 1                                                                                          | Power                                                                                      | (d) Transmission Line                                                                      | 2308                                                                                       | 39072.99                                                                                   |
| 1                                                                                          | Power                                                                                      | (e) Village Electricity                                                                    | 57                                                                                         | 178.45                                                                                     |
| 2                                                                                          | Irrigation                                                                                 | Irrigation                                                                                 | 1901                                                                                       | 109054.59                                                                                  |
| 3                                                                                          | Railway                                                                                    | Railway                                                                                    | 281                                                                                        | 8796.51                                                                                    |
| 4                                                                                          | Road                                                                                       | Road                                                                                       | 5656                                                                                       | 44939.49                                                                                   |
| Total                                                                                      | Total                                                                                      | Total                                                                                      | 10762                                                                                      | 300402.14                                                                                  |