Land for skill University in Jaunapur given without centre’s nod: Supreme Court

NEW DELHI:  The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has said the city government’s Panchayat Department has allotted forest land for the construction of a world-class skill centre and Delhi Skill University in Jaunapur in south Delhi without prior approval from the central government.

According to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, prior permission from the central government is required for the de-reservation or diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes.

The CEC said it had written to the Delhi chief secretary in July last year seeking clarification on the matter and that the city government was yet to provide a reply “despite repeated reminders”. It said the forest land measuring 37.11 acres in Jaunapur, since transferred to the Department of Training and Technical Education has been shown as “residential” in the records of the Delhi Development Authority.

“The forest land has been allotted for non-forest use by the Director, Panchayat, Government of NCT Delhi, without the prior approval of the central government” it said in a communication, dated August 22, to the Delhi chief secretary.