The government of India had made an election promise that it will ensure speed and effectiveness for issuing environmental clearances. Why do you think that project nods for such green belts need more scrutiny?

Many corporate houses are seeking clearances for conducting business in conflict zones or the ones which are prone to conflict. The government during electioneering had promised to ensure speed in the issuance of forest clearances for all the eligible projects. It had stated that it added 9000 sq. km. to the forest cover of the country. It assured that it will continue to add more forests at the same pace by adoption of cleaner air practices. This means that the more clearances are granted for such projects, the more forests will be granted to India. Thus, through paperwork compensatory afforestation will be mandated by planting trees on a similar area elsewhere with trees. But there is a need for increased scrutiny for such projects.
� Some clearances which are sought under the aegis of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 actually lead to
implications like displacement of twice the number of people- some which live in an around the forests
which are acquired and the second ones whose lands are acquired for giving such compensation
� There is a laxity in the monitoring of the �diverted� forest land and much of it is happening only in
paper.
The Apex court of India had also hauled up both the Central Ministry and state governments for failing to
use the fund of Rs. 90,000 Crores which was collected by the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and
Planning Authority (CAMPA).

Topics: GS-III: Conservation Environmental Pollution Degradation