The Central Government has accorded stage one clearance ‘in principle’ for diversion of 1007.29 hectare of forest under Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) for the North Koyal Dam commonly known as Mandal Dam.
A communication to this effect sent by Sr Assistant Inspector General of forests Nisheeth Saxena has reached Jharkhand Government. The stage one clearance in principle has been given with a long list of conditions.
The Central Government (here MoEF&CC) letter reads that Jharkhand government must first comply with these conditions as set by it and only then final approval for diversion of 1007.29 hectare of PTR forest for Mandal Dam will be given.
Sources said the conditions as laid down are well within the workability of Jharkhand government except for one where hard work, planning and time is required.
The easy to do conditions are construction of jetty, availability of motor boat or paddle boat in the Mandal Dam which aim at preventing bird poaching or smuggling.
The other condition is to demolish all abandoned, disbanded and dilapidated pucca structures, labour huts built in 20 hectares of land at Mandal Dam site to keep the land free of encroachments there.
There is in all a 30 Km stretch of approach road to this Mandal Dam and the central government has directed the State government to have first forest clearance for black topping the 25 Km stretch and strengthening of 5 Km of earthen road. No work can be started here on this approach road without the forest clearance read the letter of the MoEF&CC.
Central government has asked to further broad base Betla which is shrinking because of huge population density around it. Two villages Kaer and Garee have almost made Betla gasoping for space said sources. The central government has directed to get Betla free of Kaer and Garee villages if possible.
No construction of the dam is to be done after 6 in the evening and no material of any kind can be had from PTR read the letter as the entire phase of pre construction and construction of the Mandal Dam are to be non invasive and non interruptive of PTR. This is a very hard condition laid down by the central government.
As 3,44 644 trees are to be uprooted the central government has asked for a similar number of plantation on the degraded and other non forest land like GM land for retention of vegetation there in periphery of PTR. Sources said 1,000 plantations are done in one hectare of land.
The full reservoir level of the Mandal Dam has been reduced to 341 meter only. Sources said it will minimize the impact of submergence as the dead level storage of this Dam is 330 meter only.
However, there is one condition which is of relocation and rehabilitation of 15 villages which is a real thorn in flesh. These villages are already under Nadi Ghati Pariyojna land and the settlers have their land mutated also and hence the central government has directed the state government to relocate and rehabilitate them with attractive packages so that their exit is easy and there arises no conflict between villagers and wild life.
M P Singh chief conservator of forest cum field director PTR said, “We have received this letter. Our CM in the first ever Steering Committee meeting has asked us to do all for the benefit of the PTR and the villagers therein. We believe there will be smooth sailing on all the conditions so laid down.”
