Sirmaur DC pushes for streamlined forest clearance processes
A high-level review meeting was convened under the chairmanship of Sirmaur Deputy Commissioner Sumit Khimta to assess the status of pending cases related to the Forest Conservation Act (FCA). The meeting was attended by officials from various user agencies, and deliberations focused on the cases submitted via the Forest Department’s online “Parivesh” portal.
During the session, the Deputy Commissioner emphasised the urgent need for resolution of these cases and directed user agencies to ensure that pending applications are systematically catalogued ahead of the next review meeting. This step, he noted, is crucial for facilitating timely and methodical processing of forest clearances.
DC Khimta also instructed departments facing technical difficulties on the Parivesh portal to directly approach the respective Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) for immediate assistance. “Prompt resolution of portal-related issues will expedite the submission of cases for in-principle approval to higher authorities,” he remarked.
In particular, the Deputy Director of the Education Department was directed to prioritise the FCA cases concerning the Rajiv Gandhi Modern Day Boarding School project. Meanwhile, the Divisional Forest Officer apprised the committee about the status of the Renukaji Bridge project over the Giri river, noting that a joint inspection is still pending. The Deputy Commissioner ordered that the inspection be conducted at the earliest to ensure further progress on the case.
In another key development, discussions were held regarding the expansion of the medical college proposed at Kanshiwala. The concerned user agency was directed to initiate correspondence with higher authorities to obtain administrative approval and to proceed with the layout planning.
Furthermore, deliberations took place on the Adi Badri Dam project. A junior engineer from the Haryana Water Resources Department participated in the meeting and was instructed to promptly rectify the observations noted in the case file and resubmit it to the Forest Department for processing.
The Deputy Commissioner also directed user agencies to provide necessary clarifications in all cases involving FCA violations, and to take appropriate follow-up action as per procedural requirements.
For FCA cases involving areas less than 1 hectare, and where either up to 75 trees are proposed to be felled or no trees are present, it was instructed that these be handled under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. In such instances, user agencies must obtain consent from the concerned DFOs through submission of requisite documents.
This meeting marks a significant push toward streamlining forest clearance processes in Sirmour district, aiming to strike a balance between development and environmental regulations.
Himachal Tribune