The Ministry of
Environment and Forests has accorded Environmental Clearance
for 20 developmental projects during the last month. These include
7 in Tamil Nadu, 3 each in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, one
each in Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh West Bengal
and Mizoram besides an inter-state project. The Projects cleared
include Expansion of asbestos based friction material manufacturing
unit in Virudhunagar district, Zinc plating plant in Dharmapuri
district and 5 foundry related units in Tamil Nadu, Expansion/upgradation
of Visakhapatnam Airport, widening of NH-5 from Rajahmundry
to Dharmavaram in Andhra Pradesh, Western Freeway sea link project
from Worli to Nariman Point in Mumbai, Setting up of new Molasses
based distillery in Mandya district of Karnataka, Expansion
of Ship repair facilities in Cochin Shipyard, Zinc plating plant
in Katni’ district in Madhya Pradesh and Setting up of asbestos
cement roofing sheets and accessories manufacturing unit in
Midnapore district of West Bengal besides an inter-state project
for Rehabilitation and strengthening of the existing two lane
road between Chennai in Tamil Nadu and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh.
With this a total
of 473 developmental projects in the sectors of industry, thermal
power, mining, river valley and hydroelectric and infrastructure
were accorded environmental clearance since the year 2000. These
include 105 in Tamil Nadu, 65 in Maharashtra, 56 in Andhra Pradesh,
36 in Gujarat, 31 in Kerala, 22 in Rajasthan, 17 in Uttar Pradesh,
11 in Kerala, 10 each in Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal and
7 in Bihar.
During the last
month 68 proposals were accorded forest clearance allowing diversion
of a total of 774.31 hectares of forest area for non-forestry
activities. With this a total of 194 proposals involving diversion
of more than 20 hectares of forest land were accorded forest
clearance since 2000. These include 42 in Maharashtra, 18 in
Karnataka, 12 in Madhya Pradesh 10 each in Andhra Pradesh and
Gujarat, 6 in Rajasthan, 3 each in Gujarat and Bihar, 2 in Tamil
Nadu and 1 in Kerala. Diversion of Forest land which used to
be about 1.50 lakh hectares per year before 1980 was brought
down to about 25 thousand hectares per year with the enactment
of Forest (Conservation) Act in 1980. The Environment and Forests
Ministry permitted diversion of about 25030 hectares of Forest
Land in year 2002.
