GoM for relaxing Forest Rights norms

A Group of Ministers has pitched for relaxing the Forest Rights Act norms for expeditious setting up of power transmission lines

A Group of Ministers (GoM) has pitched for relaxing the Forest Rights Act (FRA) norms for expeditious setting up of power transmission lines,a move to spare project developers from seeking mandatory concurrence from gram sabhas. It has asked the environment ministry to revise the FRA norms in consultation with the tribal affairs ministry.

The BK Chaturvedi Committee had also suggested that there should be dilution of the provision of quorum in gram sabha meetings. The committee had also proposed the expansion of existing projects be allowed without conducting any public hearing.

At present,developers have to secure the concurrence of gram sabhas with a 50 per cent quorum under the Forest Rights Act before they can start mining.

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If the meeting of the gram sabha is postponed for want of quorum,the second meeting may consider the proposal without any restriction of 50 per cent quorum, it had suggested in the report submitted on July 26,2011.

The environment ministry had refused to concur with the panel and instead has asked for including the tribal affairs ministry for its view.

While environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan opposed the contention of the panel,power secretary P Uma Shankar countered by saying that there is neither acquisition of land nor displacement of forest dwellers.

The GoM concurred with the power ministry… The MoEF has been asked to issue revised norms in consultation with the tribal affairs ministry, government sources said.

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The tribal affairs ministry is learnt to be opposed to the Chaturvedi panels recommendation on relaxing FRA norms.

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