Goemkaponn Desk
PANAJI: The Regional Empowered Committee of the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has granted in-principle approval to Goa government for diversion of 1.9089 ha of private forest land for double-tracking of railway from Kulem to Margao in South Goa district.
The in-principle approval is been granted under Forest (Conservation) Rule 2003. The Goa Government, via a two separate applications in November 2019 and February 2020 had sought permission of the Ministry for diversion of 1.9089 ha of private forest land for the double-tracking project.
In Goa, there is growing opposition to the double-tracking project, which passes through the protected areas of Mollem wildlife.
The approval is granted on permission that the project proponent will restrict the felling of trees to minimum number in the diverted forest land and the trees shall be felled under supervision of State forest department and the cost of the tree felling will be deposited with the State.
The Ministry has said that the State to ensure successful raising of compensatory afforestation in double the extent of degraded forest land in next three years and maintain thereafter.
The State is asked to obtain all the Environment Clearances and other permissions as required before commencing the work in the forest area.
The project proponent has to ensure that no damage is caused to the flora and fauna and all the racks of the freight trains will have sealed covers, which is presently absent.
Only after submission of the compliance report, the Ministry will consider the project for final approval.