The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted in-principle approval for the diversion of 4.75 hectares of Unclassed Forest land in Dima Hasao district, Assam, for Oil and Gas Well Drilling by Oil India Limited (OIL).

The approval reflects the balancing of energy security with environmental conservation through regulated forest clearance.

Key Highlights

• The approval has been granted under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 (formerly the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980), which regulates the diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes.
• The proposal was examined by the Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, which evaluates forest diversion proposals before granting approval.
• The project will be implemented by Oil India Limited (OIL) under Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP).
• The project involves diversion of 4.75 hectares of Unclassed State Forest in Dima Hasao district for oil and gas exploration.
• The land will be utilised for an approach road (0.56 ha), drilling plinth (3.47 ha), flare area (0.12 ha), and safety zone (0.60 ha).
• Only 22 trees are proposed to be felled, and the forest has a canopy density of 0.2, classified under Eco Class-I.

Important Conditions Imposed

• Oil India Limited must follow all safety norms prescribed under the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948, including maintaining adequate safety zones around wells and pipelines.
• The company must implement recommendations made after the Baghjan Blowout (2020) by the Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas (2022–23) to minimise industrial risks.
• A fire control line must be maintained in consultation with the State Forest Department to prevent forest fires.
• Silent transformers must be used to reduce noise pollution and minimise disturbance to wildlife.
• Scientific management and disposal of excavation waste must be ensured to prevent pollution of nearby forests and water bodies.

Exam Hook (Prelims)

Consider the following statements regarding diversion of forest land in India:

1. Diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes requires approval under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980.
2. The Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change examines proposals for forest diversion before approval.
3. The Open Acreage Licensing Policy allows companies to identify and propose exploration blocks for hydrocarbons.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 3

One-Line Wrap

The approval for forest land diversion in Dima Hasao reflects India’s effort to balance energy security through hydrocarbon exploration with environmental protection under a regulated forest clearance framework.