The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) under Environment Ministry has discussed 23 proposals involving diversion of 3,777.54 hectares of forest land. About 40 per cent of the diversion will be for mining projects. However, for a change, relocation of villages from Tiger habitats for the purpose of forest conversion also figured on the agenda of discussion. It comprises 25 per cent of the total proposed area for forest village conversion.
According to documents available, Madhya Pradesh topped the list with maximum number of nine proposals. These add up to one of the largest quantum of 37 per cent of total forest land lined up for proposed diversion. Andhra Pradesh, with a total of four mining proposals, entails 1,409.26 hectares of forest land.
Apart from this, there were at least four projects calling for diversion of forest land for irrigation, three for transmission lines and one each for wind power, road and industry.
However, what has caught attention this time was that five villages are lined up for being shifted from the core zone of Satpura Tiger Reserve in the Hoshangabad district in Madhya Pradesh. Relocation of these villages will result in creation of nearly 886.119 hectares of inviolate space in this critical Tiger habitat. This will make the area free from biotic disturbance besides ensuring the forest communities better socio economic conditions for development. The total cost involved in the process is Rs64.4 crores.
The largest of the five villages is Podar, involving 240 hectares of land. This involves total relocation of 186 families largely from Scheduled Tribes. The village being located deep inside the forest the villagers are cut off from basic facilities like school, health center, market. The relocation of Bhadbhud village will involve rehabilitation of 133 families from the critical core area, which will free at least 170 hectares of forest land.
The proposed coal mining project in Andhra Pradesh in the Khammam Forest Division in favour of Singareni Collieries Company limited (SCCl), requires forest diversion of 776.2 ha of forest land, which is by far the highest, in comparison to any individual project queued up for discussion. The other four mining projects in Andhra Pradesh also pertain to SCCl.
Of the 23 proposals three are, however, for renewal of leases. These include salt lease in Jamnagar, Gujarat and two mining leases in Andhra Pradesh.