Rs 700 crore for forest conservation

The Central Government will also extend a special grant for development of the Western Ghats

Ramesh held a breakfast meeting with Chief Minister Yeddyurappa, Energy Minister K S Eshwarappa and officials of the State Forest, Irrigation and Energy departments. Later speaking to reporters Ramesh said the Union Forest Ministry is chalking out the guidelines for release of the special grant.

Under the Centre’s forest conservation fund, a whopping Rs 11,000 crore fund is available. But due to a legal hurdle, the Centre has not been able to distribute it to all States. The Centre is confident that the legal hurdle would be cleared by July end, and the State would get its share of Rs 700 crore, he added.

He also said a separate project is being chalked out for the development of Nagarahole and Bhadra forests. The Centre and the State Governments will shortly sign a memorandum of understanding in this regard, he added.

Earlier, Yeddyurappa said the State Government has increased the forest cover by 70,000 hectare last year. This year, another 80,000 hectares will be covered. Under the NREGS, the State is planning to spend Rs 300 crore for the forest development activities, he added.

The CM urged Jairam Ramesh to amend the Environment Protection Act and simplify rules for giving environmental clearance for various developmental projects of the State. Due to the rigid rules under the Act, there has been delay in according environmental clearance for projects. A number of projects - industrial, power and railway projects - of the State are pending for several years due to this reason, he stated.
The State asked the Union Minister to increase number of clearance committees under his Ministry, besides employing young officers so that pending proposals can be cleared. The CM also submitted a memorandum to Ramesh seeking early approval to  the pending projects of the State.

Ramesh on his part promised that the Ministry will expedite the process of clearing various proposals of the State pertaining to development.
Any proposal which complies with law, will have to be cleared within 210 days. The Centre is not taking so much time. Instances are many wherein proposals have been approved within 60 days. 

CRZ notification by July

Ramesh termed the 1991 regulation on the Coastal Regulatory Zone as an “invitation to corruption” and said a revised gazette notification on the CRZ will be issued by July 16.
“The revised notification will be a hybrid of old 1991 regulation and the new Coastal Regulatory Zone rules recommended by the Swaminathan Committee. The 1991 regulation on CRZ was stoutly opposed by some states,” Ramesh said.



State’s plea


* Declare Biligirirangana Betta as tiger reserve area
* Provide financial assistance for conservation of Western Ghats
* Approval for Kalasa Banduri drinking water project
* Approval for Hubli-Ankola railway line