Bhubaneswar: Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India has given its final approval for diversion of 341.23 hectares of forest land for construction of Upper Lanth Medium Irrigation Project in the Balangir Forest Division under Bolangir District.
D. Manjunatha, Deputy Inspector General of Forests under the MoEF&CC has written a letter to Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Water Resources Department, in this regard.
On the basis of the compliance report furnished by the Government of Odisha dated November 3, 2023, the Central Government has granted final/Stage-II approval under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in favour of the Water Resources Department for non-forestry use of 341.23 hectares of forest land for construction of the dam project.
Last month, the State had got forest clearance to the Chheligada Irrigation Project from the Centre. And now, another mega irrigation project got the green panel nod.
Thanks to the overdrive of ACS Forest & Environment Satyabrata Sahu, PCCF & HoFF Debidutta Biswal and PCCF (Nodal) Susanta Nanda the clearance file moved fast.
And PCCF (Nodal) Shri Nanda took all out efforts to speed up clearance proposal at State Level and facilitate the clearance at the Government of India level, officials admit.
In August 2018, the State had submitted its proposal for diversion of the forest land for construction of the irrigation project in drought-hit Bolangir district. In December 2018, the MoEF & CC granted in-principle approval to the proposal subject to certain conditions prescribed therein.
Soon after receiving compliance reports from the WR Department, the Ministry has granted its final approval just like a rocket speed, said an official.
The MoEF&CC has set certain conditions for the State Government while giving its nod.
The State Government will have to ensure that the CA shall be done within a period of three years. At least 1000 saplings per hectares will be planted by the State.
The CA will be maintained for 10 years, and the CA scheme may include afforestation of indigenous species with appropriate provision for anticipated cost increase for works scheduled for subsequent years;
The Centre asked the State Government to ensure that Canal Bank Plantation on either side of the two canals shall be raised and maintained at project cost, with the approval of the scheme by DFO, Bolangir.
The State Government will have to ensure that the forest land shall not be used for any purpose other than that specified in the proposal and under no circumstances be transferred to any other agency, department or person without obtaining prior approval of the Central Government, it said.
The user agency will have to restrict the felling of trees to minimum numbers in the diverted forest land and trees shall be felled under strict supervision of the State Forest Department.
