1190 kanals forest land cleared for 23 dev works

SRINAGAR: Continuing the transfer of land ahead of Jammu and Kashmir's bifurcation later this month, the government on Monday cleared 23 proposals regarding use of 1190 kanals (60.2 hectares) of forest land for various projects of public importance.

The land was cleared by the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) headed by Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam in its 118th meeting held here today, and would be used for 23 proposals in the road, drinking water and power sectors on specified terms and conditions.

This was the third meeting of the FAC in this month. In the meeting held on October 3, the FAC had cleared 54 proposals regarding use of 2214 kanals (112 hectares) land while 43 proposals regarding use of 5357 kanals (271 hectares) land were cleared on October 16.

In the month of October, as many as 120 proposals of different departments for use of 8761 kanals (1095 acres, and 443 hectares) of land have been cleared by the FAC. The 23 proposals cleared in today's meeting include use of 1190 kanals of forest land for additional land for Station building and circulating area at Reasi on Katra section of USBRL Project by Northern Railway, re-alignment of 132 KV D/C Chenani Srinagar Transmission Line and Construction of 33/11 KV, 6.3 MVA Receiving Station at Village Nomain Block Katra by PDD, Construction of MGD Rapid Sand Filtration plant at Andoo Pushroo by PHE, Construction of road from Laiter Devak Hathal in Nowshera by PWD (R&B), various road proposals under PMGSY in Anantnag, Jammu, Udhampur, Baramulla, Mahore, Nowshera, Ramnagar, and other critical infrastructure.

While reiterating the directions on ensuring bare minimum felling of trees, undertaking compensatory afforestation over alternate land in lieu of diversion of forest land and observance of other conditions, Chief Secretary asked the Forest department to ensure that the Monitoring Committees constituted for the purpose closely monitor the works being undertaken in the forest areas to ensure preservation of flora, fauna and undertaking afforestration activities.

Chief Secretary also reiterated that user agencies should ensure that saplings coming in the alignment of the projects are transplanted on time to degraded forest areas and monitored closely till their maturity into trees.

Financial Commissioner Revenue, Principal Secretary Planning Development & Monitoring Department, Commissioner/Secretaries of Forest, Ecology & Environment Department; PDD; PHE and I&FC; Principal Chief Conservator of Forests J&K, J&K, Chief Wildlife Warden, J&K, Chief Conservator of Forests/ Member Secretary FAC, other senior officers of Forest and PMGSY and representatives of User Agencies participated in the meeting.

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