According to a draft policy released by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF), a technology driven system would be set up for providing forest clearances to various projects.
The draft policy pertains to the inspection, verification, monitoring and overall procedure for the grant of forest clearances.
The policy includes a provision to set up an independent, remote-sensing, satellite-based monitoring system to detect encroachment and unauthorised changes in the approved land use plan.
The system would also identify illegal mining on forest land after expiry of the approver under the Forest (Conservation) Act and the progress of concurrent or final reclamation or rehabilitation of mined-out area in mining project.
Damage to flora and fauna in the adjoining forests and maintenance of minimum ecological flow in hydel or irrigation and river valley projects would also be detected by the system.
Based on the recommendations by a committee headed by the additional director general of forests, the environment ministry prepared the draft policy.
The policy also envisages self-monitoring by the user agency and in case of non- compliance, keeping the approval accorded under the Forest (Conservation) Act in abeyance within 30 days of the receipt of report by the competent authority.
The policy states that the ministry’s regional offices will conduct a site inspection in respect of proposal involving diversion of forests land above 100 hectare.
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