Road transport minisry shows 'technique' to bend forest rules

In a move that poses threat to forest conservation, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) has extended to state agencies like PWD an exemption to not hand over compensatory land in lieu of forest land acquired for building roads. The exemption is limited to central projects.

In a letter to state governments and union territories as well as chief engineers of PWD departments in all states, the ministry has advised that state agencies seeking permission for diversion of forest land for development and maintenance of national highway projects should employ the name of the ministry (MORTH).

A PWD official explained that when PWD or other state agencies seek forest land for road laying or other projects, they compensate for it by buying non-forest land based on the value of the forest land being acquired.

However, MORTH and NHAI are exempted from this rule. “A special dispensation has been given for the Central Government Project in departure from the general norms wherein afforestation in degraded forest land is allowed in lieu of the non-forest land,” the letter states.

The exemption is meant for national highway projects that are developed and maintained by the central government, but executed by the state agency. ‘

The state agencies have been told to employ the name of MORTH “so that the unnecessary delay in identification, for transfer of non-forest land could be avoided and approval for diversion of forest land could be expedited,” it said.

Sources in the forest department said while agencies like PWD may save money, the move will eventually result in reduction of the extent of forest land.

“This move will set a precedent for other agencies. Even the state government will introduce such exemptions in the coming days. So far, we have always tried to get compensatory land that helps in reducing the fragmentation of forests to help wildlife movement. Doing away with such rules will have a bad impact on conservation of forests and ecology,” the official said.