At 22K ha, road projects led to largest forest diversion since 2020: Centre
Road projects led to the largest forest area diversion in the last five years, the Union environment ministry’s response in Rajya Sabha on Thursday revealed.
Road projects led to the largest forest area diversion in the last five years, the Union environment ministry’s response in Rajya Sabha on Thursday revealed.
Road projects led to diversion of 22233.44 ha of forests since 2020; followed by 18913.64 ha for mining; and 17434.38 ha for hydel and irrigation projects. Around 13859.31 ha was also diverted for power transmission lines. For comparison, the area of the entire Corbett Tiger Reserve is 52100 ha.
Minister of state for external affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh shared this information in Rajya Sabha in response to AITC MP, Dola Sen’s questions regarding environment and forest clearances granted and rejected by the Central government since 2020.
According to Singh, the Centre granted 1766 environmental clearances in the past five years, with the highest, 582, for infrastructure projects.
He said project category-wise, in 2024-25, forest clearances were granted to one airport; 298 for communication posts; 409 for drinking water; 41 for mining; 500 for roads; and 21 for industry, among others.
“Under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (RFCTLARR Act), the project affected families are entitled to fair compensation and rehabilitation measures. During the grant of Environmental Clearances, where Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) is involved, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) duly considers the R&R status and if required, imposes appropriate environmental conditions for compliance by the Project Proponent, and the status of their implementation is mandated to be reported in the six-monthly compliance reports,” Singh said.
In response to another question to the shipping ministry on whether it has undertaken cumulative-impact and free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) studies for the proposed transshipment port at Galathea Bay, Great Nicobar, Sarbananda Sonowal, the minister for ports and shipping said: “All studies required as per the Statutory requirements of such projects i.e. impact assessment study, risk assessment study, marine conservation study, terrestrial and marine ecological study, etc. were carried out during the EIA process. However, the matter, regarding environmental clearance and coastal regulation zone clearance for the Port site at Great Nicobar, is sub judice. Providing a reply on the merits of the question would not be appropriate at this stage.”
In the Great Nicobar, the government has planned four projects in the region — International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT), Greenfield International Airport, Gas and Solar based Power Plant and Township; Area Development Projects — for which an area of 166.10 sq.km is required.