Initiatives of the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change
1. Process
for devolution of CAMPA funds for afforestation initiated which will ensure
transfer of ₹30,000
Crores to states.
With
the approval of Cabinet, Draft CAMPA Order, 2014 containing provisions for
transfer of an amount of 95 % of ₹35,000/- crorers
accumulated with the Ad-hoc CAMPA to inalienable non-lapsable, interest bearing
fund to be created under Public Accounts of the respective States/ UTs has been
filed before the Hon’ble Supreme Court for their approval before the same is
published in the official gazette. Amounts to be realised in future in lieu of
forest land diverted for non-forest purpose will also be credited directly to
the said fund.
The
CAMPA order envisages creation of a permanent institutional mechanism, both at
Centre and each State Government, replacing the present body i.e. Adhoc Campa,
with a view to ensure effective and expeditious utilization of the accumulated
funds by the States, whom the funds actually belong to, in a transparent and
effective manner for the purpose of compensatory afforestation, catchment area
treatment, assisted natural generation, forest management, protection,
infrastructure development, wildlife protection and management, relocation of
villages from the Protected areas, managing human-wildlife conflicts, training
and awareness generation, supply of wood saving devices and allied activities.
5%
funds will be retained by the National CAMPA for the purposes 0f monitoring and
evaluation of schemes implemented in the States, setting up of institutes, societies,
centre of excellence in the field of forest and wildlife, pilot schemes,
standardization of codes/guidelines etc. for the sector.
2. Transparency
ensured by starting online submission of application for Environment and Forest
Clearances successfully
As
a major step to ensure that the proposals seeking grant of forest clearance are
processed in time-bound and transparent manner, a web portal for online filing
and monitoring the forest clearance proposal applications has been launched.
The portal will minimize the need for human interface between project
proponents and officials dealing with Forest Clearance proposals in the Central
and the State Governments. The portal will enable real time monitoring of the
Forest Clearance proposals so as to ensure that time-lines stipulated for
processing of these proposals by various authorities in the Centre and State Governments
are adhered to. The portal also has inbuilt features to ensure that proposals
complete in all respect only are accepted. Valuable time will thus not be lost
to seek and obtain additional information, once a proposal seeking Forest
Clearance has already been accepted by concerned authority in the State
Government. So far 34 applications have been received online for Forest
Clearance.
On-line
submission of applications for Terms of Reference (ToRs) and Environment
Clearance (EC) has been mandated w.e.f. 1st July, 2014 with a view
to increasing transparency in the system and facilitating early decision
making. Till now, 219 applications for ToRs and 46 applications for ECs have
been received in the Ministry for project proposals in different sectors.
3. A
System of Realtime Monitoring of Ganga Water Quality initiated on the main
river. Highly polluting Industries asked to install online continuous emission
and effluent monitoring equipments
There
are 764 grossly polluting industries (discharging effluents with 100 KG BOD or
more effluents) in the five States of the Ganga Basin e.g. Uttarakhand, Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. 704 of these were inspected by CPCB
out of which 48 industries have been issued letters and 180 industries have
been issued directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
and under Section 18 (1) (b) of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution)
Act, 1974 for abatement of pollution.
There
are more than 3,200 highly polluting industries (falling in 17 categories) in
the country, which are monitored vigorously by the SPCBs and CPCB. Most of
these industries do not have online continuous monitoring system for emissions
and effluents. State Pollution Control Boards have been given directions under
Section 18(1) (b) of Water Act and Section 18 (1) (b) of Air Act to get online
Continuous Monitoring Station equipments installed in all of these industries
by 31st March 2015. Directions are being monitored.
Similarly,
SPCBs have been issued directions to get online Continuous Monitoring
equipments installed in all 175 CETPs, 25 Common Hazardous waste incinerators
and 179 Bio Medical waste incinerators in the country
4. Benchmarks
for pollution norms for cement industries upgraded to
ensure cleaner environment
Cement
industry is one of the major air polluting sector among the 17 category of
identified highly polluting industries. There are about 190 large cement plants
and 365 mini/small cement plants. Though, number of mini plants is more, the
contribution to production is less than 10%. India is second largest producer
of cement with cement production of 280 million tonnes during 2013.
Previously,
emission standards for Particulate Matter (dust) between 50-400 mg/Nm3
were in place depending upon capacity, type and vintage of cement plant. It has
been revised to 30-150 mg/Nm3 and published in gazette on
25.08.2014. International norms for Particulate Matter are between 30-100 mg/Nm3
except Germany (20/10) and Netherland (15). Norms for Sulphur Dioxide
(100/200 mg/Nm3 against international norms between 50-500), Oxide
of Nitrogen (500-800 mg/Nm3 against international norms ranging
between 200-900), Wastewater and guidelines for Storm water have been
prescribed for the first time. In brief, the status is:
Pollution Norms
Air
|
Now
|
Earlier
|
Particulate
Matter( mg/Nm3)
|
30-150
|
50-400
|
Sulphur
Dioxide mg/Nm3)
|
100-200
|
not existing
|
Oxides
of Nitrogen mg/Nm3)
|
500-800
|
not existing
|
Wastewater
|
zero discharge or comply with norms
|
not existing
|
Storm
water
|
guidelines prescribed
|
not existing
|
5. Bor
tiger reserve created in Maharashtra, approval for
special tiger protection force and rewilding of orphaned tiger cubs.
On
the recommendation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the State
Government of Maharashtra has notified Bor Tiger Reserve covering an area of 138.1214
sq.km. (core /critical tiger habitat) on 16 August, 2014.
The
Bor Tiger Reserve is rich in biodiversity with a wide variety of flora and
fauna, including tiger, co-predators, prey animals and birds. The habitat is on
the boundary of Nagpur and Wardha districts, amidst the Satpura-Maikal
landscape, forming catchment of the river Bor. The sanctuary is also an
important corridor between Tadoba-Andhari and Pench Tiger Reserves of the
State.
Bor
is the 47th tiger reserve in the country and the 6th tiger reserve of
Maharashtra. With Project Tiger coverage, the reserve would receive funding and
technical support which would strengthen tiger conservation, besides eco-development
to benefit fringe people.
6. Border
roads and all defence infrastructures within 100 kms of
Line of Actual Control brought under General Approval scheme.
To
expedite creation of requisite infrastructure along Line of Actual Control
(LAC) the MoEF on 4th July 2014 accorded general approval under the
Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for diversion of forest land required for
construction and widening of two lane roads by the BRO/ other agencies whom the
Ministry of Defence entrusts the job, in the area falling within 100 kilometers
aerial distance from the LAC and widening of link roads, between Border roads
in the area within 100 kilometer aerial distance from the LAC and National
Highways/State Highways/Other State Roads.
Ministry
of Defence has also been requested to identify strategic defence infrastructure
related activities such as Army Stations, Ammunition Depots, Training Centres
and other support infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, residential
quarters etc. which are to be taken up in the area within 100 km aerial
distance from the Line of Actual Control and submit the list of such activities
along with the proposal for grant of General Approval under Forest
(Conservation) Act, 1980).
7. Forest
Clearances
for roads in Left Wing Extremism areas brought under General Approval scheme.
To
expedite creation of road infrastructure in the Left Wing Extremism (LWE)
Affected districts to facilitate the Security Forces to effectively combat Left
Wing Extremism, the Ministry has extended general approval under the Forest
(Conservation) Act, 1980 for diversion of forest lands for construction of all
categories of public roads, except those falling in the Protected areas, irrespective
of the area of forest land involved, by Government
Departments in 117 LWE affected districts.
Further,
relaxation of general approval under the FC Act has been extended from for
diversion of forest land from the present 1 hectare to 5 hectares for execution
of public utility projects of 15 specified categories by Government Departments
in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts. These categories
are Schools; Dispensaries/Hospitals; Medical Colleges, Electrical and
Telecommunication Lines; Drinking Water; Water/Rain Water Harvesting
Structures; Minor Irrigation Canal; Non Conventional Sources of Energy; Skill
up Gradation/Vocational Training Center; Power Sub-stations; All category of
public roads; Communication Posts; Police establishments like Police Stations /
Outposts / Border Outposts / Watch Towers in sensitive area (identified by
Ministry of Home Affairs); Underground laying of optical fiber cables,
telephone lines & drinking water supply lines; and quarrying of materials
for construction of public roads. This initiative
will help in faster construction of the public utilities and help in winning
over the confidence of people.
8. Process
of granting permission for forest diversion upto 40 hectares for developmental
projects decentralized. 90% files for this purpose won’t come to the Ministry.
The
Ministry has decided to delegate powers to the Regional Empowered Committees
(REC) to be constituted at each Regional Office of the Ministry to finally
dispose of all forest clearance proposals seeking diversion of forest land upto
40 hecatres, except the proposals relating to mining, regularization of encroachments
and Hydel Projects. Draft Forest (Conservation) Second Amendment Rules, 2014 to
provide for inter-alia constitution of the RECs at each Regional Office
of the Ministry under Chairmanship of the concerned Addl. Principal Chief
Conservator of Forests (Central) and having inter-alia three
non-official experts in forestry and allied disciplines and two representative
of the State/ UT concerned have been formulated and sent to the Ministry of Law
and Justice for vetting before its publication in the Official Gazette.
More
than 90% of proposals seeking forest clearance will now be finally disposed off
by the Regional Office. Mere 10% of the proposals for forest clearance will come
to the Ministry for decision.
9. Process
of granting permission for forest diversion for all linear projects like Road,
Rail, Canals, Transmission and Pipelines decentralized.
To
expedite grant of forest clearance to linear projects like Road, Rail, Canal,
Transmission Lines and Pipelines, most of which are of public utility nature,
the Ministry has decided to delegate powers to grant forest clearance to such
projects irrespective of the area of forest land involved to the Regional
Empowered Committee being constituted at each Regional Office of the Ministry.
The
Ministry has also issued guidelines to provide that in case of linear projects
in-principle approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 may be deemed
as the working permission for tree cutting and commencement of work, if the
required funds for compensatory afforestation, Net Present Value, wildlife
conservation plan, plantation of dwarf species of medicinal plants, and all
such other compensatory levies specified in the in-principle approval are
realised from the user agency.
10. Decentralization
of powers to State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs) for
granting Environment Clearance
Vide
Notification S.O.1599 (E) dated 25th June, 2014, more powers have
been delegated to SEIAAs to grant EC to various projects. Earlier, the projects
in Category ‘B’ were being appraised as Category ‘A’ at MoEF level if they were
located within 10 km. of Protected Areas, Critically Polluted Areas, Eco
Sensitive Areas, and Inter-state / International boundaries. Now, this distance
has been reduced to 5 km. subject to stipulations stated in the aforesaid
notification, implying thereby that more projects can now be considered by
SEIAAs for granting ECs. Apart from this, the capacity up to which non-molasses
based distilleries and mineral beneficiation activities could be considered as
Category ‘B’ has been increased. Also, all bio-mass fuel based thermal power
plants with capacity greater than or equal 15 MW have been put in Category B’. Earlier,
such projects were considered as Category ‘A’ projects, if their capacity
exceeded 20 MW.
CP/GV
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