The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has delegated the state wildlife board and the chief wildlife wardens to clear projects pertaining to laying optic cables and drinking water.
This decision has come at a time when pressure on clearing many projects has been lying before the board and the forest departments of various states for clearance, especially pertaining to infrastructure works.
A senior forest department official said that this is a bad move. “Already there is a lot of political pressure on the forest staffers to clear projects, the state wildlife board also has politicians as members. Now this decision will only threaten the forest even more,” said an official who did not want to be named.
The official said that there was a lot of pressure from the state government is laying power lines across forests. In some places like MM Hills cables were being laid illegally.
“Now with this we will be forced to give clearances to all proposals. Earlier we would refer the case to the central government which would take long time and even reject the proposal. But now we will be under pressure,” he said.
Raman Sukumar member said that it was a general order. The rules of wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves and eco- sensitive zones will continue.
H S Singh, another member of NBWL said that the powers have been delegated to the state board and chief wildlife wardens on the condition that wildlife should not be hampered and that cables should be laid along road sides only.
Drinking water and electricity are the basic need of people. The orders have been issued to mitigate conflicts and reduce pressure on forests.