Himachal Pradesh, where road connectivity plays a very vital role, has 377 important roads which are waiting for forest clearance for years under Forest Conservation Act, 1980, depriving the people of difficult areas from easy access to other parts of the State.
Replying to a question in the Assembly, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh informed that efforts are being made by State Government to get forest clearances from the Ministry of Environment and Forests on regular basis. The question was asked during Question Hour by Congress MlA Sanjay Rattan and Dalhousie legislator Asha Kumari in the House on Thursday.
Chief minister said that Public Works Department (PWD) is monitoring the cases under FCA and Government had deputed Additional Principal Chief conservator of forest (APCCF) in PWD to coordinate between union forest Ministry to obtain clearance under FCA. He said that monthly monitoring of pending cases has been done by officer of the rank of principal secretary at different levels. “In order to clear the net present value (NPV) and compensatory afforestation, State Government had made provision of funds separately,” he said.