3.31 lakh trees face axe for coal project in Odisha’s Angul
Odisha’s Angul coal proposal may require large-scale forest diversion and tree felling, raising a familiar environment-versus-energy trade-off under India’s forest-clearance regime.
- The environment ministry’s advisory committee examined the Angul coal project’s request for diversion of forest land and recommended stage-1 in-principle approval subject to conditions.
- The proposed project may require felling about 3,31,818 trees and diversion of 754.039 hectares of forest land for non-forestry use.
What happened
A proposed coal project in Odisha’s Angul district may require large-scale diversion of forest land and tree felling. The project could involve felling about 3,31,818 trees and diversion of 754.039 hectares of forest land for non-forestry use.
The environment ministry’s advisory committee considered the project proposal and recommended stage-1 in-principle approval under the forest-conservation framework, subject to specific conditions.
UPSC may frame the issue around the tension between developmental needs and forest protection, the Forest (Conservation) legal framework, and the conditions attached to stage-1 in-principle approval for diversion of forest land for non-forestry use.
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