By Kartik Lokhande
Democratic
Front (DF) Government in Maharashtra is issuing Government Resolutions
(GRs) and decisions at a very fast pace now, to raise a pitch for
ensuing Legislative Assembly elections. However, in the spree, it has
scored a self-goal in case of clearance to diversion of 2.0780 hectares
of zudpi forest land for Nagpur-Saoner stretch of National Highway-69.
On Thursday, Maharashtra Revenue and Forest Department issued a
‘Government Order’ regarding diversion of 2.0780 hectares of zudpi
forest land for construction, strengthening and widening of existing
two-lane to four-lane dual carriage way from KM-3 to KM-59.300 section
of Nagpur-Saoner road of National Highway-69 in Nagpur district. In the
said order, the Revenue and Forest Department has ‘directed’ the
officials concerned that the said forest land should ‘be diverted’ to
National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) that is the project
implementation agency. The said zudpi forest land is in villages
Dahegaon, Pipla (Dak), Malegaon, Bhagi Mahari, Jaitpur, Khursapar, and
Patansaongi in Saoner tehsil of Nagpur district.
By issuing such a strange order, the DF Government has actually exposed
how it sat pretty over clearance received four months ago. For the
diversion of said forest land, NHAI Project Director had submitted a
proposal to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests/Head of Forest Force
(HOFF), and the latter had submitted a proposal to Ministry of
Environment and Forests (MOEF) for clearance on October 25, 2011. MOEF
granted in-principle approval to the said proposal vide a letter issued
on September 18, 2013. MOEF approval was subject to fulfillment of
certain conditions by NHAI. Accordingly, HOFF submitted compliance of
the conditions to MOEF on December 4, 2013. Based on this, MOEF granted
clearance to diversion of zudpi forest land for the abovesaid purpose.
MOEF clearance came on February 21, 2014. Since then, the Revenue and
Forest Department sat pretty over the clearance and did not communicate
it to the NHAI. Meanwhile, sources said, NHAI received a direct
communication from MOEF and the said zudpi forest land was handed over
to NHAI two months ago. In fact, four-laning work of the NH-69 has been
completed till Betul in adjoining state of Madhya Pradesh. “Only the
work of some portion at Koradi and Nagpur remains to be done. This work
is waiting for Railway’s clerance for railway over-bridge at Mankapur,
Godhni,” said an official in the know of things.
This is very interesting, as it proves that the Revenue and Forest
Department did not bother to go through clearances to various projects
it received. There appears to be only the political motive of DF
Government, keeping an eye on ensuing Legislative Assembly elections,
behind issuing such an ‘order’ regarding MOEF clearance.
19-06-14
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