Assam Clears 239 Hectares of Forest Land for 39 Projects

The Assam Government has permitted the diversion of more than 239 hectares of forest land for 39 projects across 22 reserve forests, following final approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The projects include roads, oil and gas exploration, transmission lines, pipelines, telecommunications and security infrastructure.

The decision highlights the continuing challenge of balancing infrastructure development with forest and biodiversity conservation in a forest-rich state like Assam.

Major Projects

• 7.12 hectares in Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary has been approved for the Guwahati Ring Road, including a Brahmaputra bridge and widening of National Highway 27 between Basistha and Jorabat.
• 9.23 hectares in Borail Wildlife Sanctuary has been approved for 11 tower locations of the 132 kilovolt Haflong–Jiribam transmission line.
• Two 400 kilovolt transmission lines connecting the 2,000 megawatt Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project with Biswanath Chariali involve 34.32 hectares and 32.78 hectares in Subansiri Reserved Forest.
• Several forest-diversion proposals relate to oil and natural gas exploration, particularly in Doyang, Nambar South, Upper Dehing and Diphu Reserved Forests.

Legal and Institutional Framework

The approvals operate under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, which requires prior Central Government approval for using forest land for non-forest purposes. The 2023 amendment renamed and expanded the framework, while the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules, 2023 provide the procedural mechanism.

The process is spearheaded at the Union level by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, while the Assam Forest Department implements and monitors forest-related conditions within the state.

Objectives & Safeguards

The framework aims to permit unavoidable development projects while protecting ecological security. Important safeguards include compensatory afforestation, compliance with approval conditions and mitigation of ecological impacts. Assam itself describes the law as regulatory rather than completely prohibitory, seeking to balance conservation with sustainable development.

Exam Hook – Prelims

With reference to forest-land diversion in India, consider the following statements:

1. Prior Central Government approval is required for the use of forest land for non-forest purposes under the forest conservation law.
2. Compensatory afforestation is an important safeguard associated with approved forest diversion.
3. Forest diversion is completely prohibited under Indian law.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer: 1 and 2 only.

One-line wrap: Assam’s latest forest clearances underline the need to make infrastructure growth ecologically responsible, legally compliant and sensitive to wildlife habitats and forest-dependent communities.