JAMMU: Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has constituted Regional Empowered Committee at Integrated Regional Office (IRO) Jammu with three prominent persons of the Jammu as Non-official Members to decide the proposals involving diversion of forest land up to 40 hectares and relating to mining and encroachments.
“In pursuance of Sub-Rule (1) of Rule 4A of the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003, the Central Government constitutes the Regional Empowered Committee at Integrated Regional Office, Jammu to exercise the powers and perform the specified functions”, read a notification issued by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Head of the Integrated Regional Office Jammu is the Chairman of the Regional Empowered Committee while as senior most office from amongst officers in the rank of Chief Conservator of Forests or Conservator of Forests in the Integrated Regional Office Jammu is the Member. Dr Chander Mohan Seth (retd IFS Officer), Rashim Kashyap (retd Special Secretary Finance) and V N Sharma (retd Chief Engineer R&B) are Non-official Members while as senior most officer from amongst officers in the rank of Deputy Conservator of Forests in the Integrated Regional Office Jammu is Member Secretary of the committee.
As far as Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Principal Secretary Revenue Department will be invited to attend the meetings of the Regional Empowered Committee as special invitees. Similarly, Chief Conservator of Forests and Nodal Officer, the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, Forest Department UT of Ladakh and Deputy Secretary Revenue Department UT of Ladakh will be invited to attend the meetings of the Regional Empowered Committee as special invitees. The Regional Empowered Committee will decide the proposal involving diversion of forest land up to 40 hectares other than the proposal relating to mining and encroachments within 45 days of the receipt of such proposal from the State Government or the Union Territory Administration, as the case may be. The committee will also advise on proposals received by the Central Government, which shall refer every proposal, complete in all respects, received by it including site inspection report, wherever required, to the committee for its advice thereon.
These proposals shall be processed and put up before the committee and the recommendations of the committee shall be placed within a period of 90 days of the receipt of such proposals from the Union Territory Administration before the Central Government for its decision. The committee will have due regard to all or any of the important matters while tendering its advice on the proposals referred to it: These aspects are whether the forests land proposed to be used for non-forest purpose forms part of a nature reserve, National Park, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or forms part of the habitat or any endangered or threatened species of flora and fauna or of an area lying in severely eroded catchment; whether the use of any forest land is for agricultural purposes or for the rehabilitation of persons displaced from their residences by reason of any river valley or hydro-electric project; whether the Union Territory Administration has certified that it has considered all other alternatives and that no other alternatives in the circumstances are feasible and that the required area is the minimum needed for the purpose and whether the Union Territory Administration undertakes to provide at its cost for the acquisition of land of an equivalent area and afforestation.
While tendering the advice, the Committee may also suggest any conditions or restrictions on the use of any forest land for any non-forest purpose, which in its opinion, would minimize adverse environmental impact.
