PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Bharadisain
The members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party cornered the Parliamentary Affairs and Forest minister Subodh Uniyal on the obstacles put by the Forest department in the development works. In response to a question by the Rajpur Road MLA Khajan Dass, the Forest minister said that a total of 719 applications of PWD, Peyjal, Power and Irrigation department for no objection certificate (NOC) are pending under Forest Conservation Act- 1980 in the State.
Dass said that the Forest department creates unnecessary hurdles in the development activities such as construction of roads. Vikasnagar MLA Munna Singh Chauhan spoke about the developmental works in which the FCA – 1980 is not applicable. He said that works such as laying of cables and underground drinking water pipelines in the forest do not change the original character of the forest land. Chauhan said that the FCA is not applicable where the original character of forest land is not changed.
Devprayag MLA, Vinod Kandari said that the forest department creates unnecessary hurdles in the installation of overhead power lines. Kedarnath MLA Asha Nautiyal said that though the Forest department collects tax in Chopta, Duggalbitta and other areas it does not provide facilities to the tourists visiting these areas. Rudraprayag MLA Bharat Singh Chaudhary said the works of Jal Jeevan Mission are also getting affected by the undue hindrances created by the Forest department.
The speaker Ritu Khanduri directed that the concerns of the members on the issue of forest department clearance under FCA are genuine and the department should get it examined.
