Javadekar eases green norms for linear projects

NEW DELHI: Environment ministry has allowed a major relaxation for faster execution of all ‘linear' projects including roads, rail, power transmission lines, water supply lines and laying of optic fiber cables. All such projects can start soon after getting in-principle approval from local authorities such as district forest officer, which will cut down the time to start work by three to six months.

Environment minister Prakash Javadekar recently conveyed this to road transport minister Nitin Gadkari. Javadekar has said that the relaxation is aimed at "speedy execution" of such projects, which involve "linear diversion" of forest land.

Referring to ministry guidelines issued in August, the environment minister has said that in-principle approval may be deemed as "working permission" for tree cutting and commencement of work, "if the required funds for compensatory afforestation, net present value (NPV), wildlife conservation plan, plantation of dwarf species of medicinal plants, and all such compensatory levies specified in the in-principle approval are realized from the user agency."

Sources in National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said that getting permission for tree cutting, which is the first step to start work used to take a long. This decision and delegation of power to give such permission to DFO will fast-track project execution.

On August 13, TOI had reported how the environment ministry had offered delegate power to the state government and ministry's regional offices to clear linear projects involving forest land up to 40 hectare.

In recent months, a host of initiatives have already been taken to streamline green clearances, particularly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi set up an inter-ministerial committee on infrastructure under Gadkari. Environment and forest clearance were the main reasons behind huge number of highway projects either getting delayed or not taking off during the UPA regime.