No. Ll-3O6/ ZS|+FC Governrnerrt of India Ministry of Environment, Forests andCtirrate Change ' (Forest Conservation Division) Indira Paryavaran Bhawan jorbagh Road New Delhi - 110 003 Dated: 7ft Octobet, 201'4 F. To The Principal Secretar5r (Forests), A[ State /Union Territory Governrnents Subz Guidelines for diversion of forest land for non-forest Pu{Pose under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 198G. Exernption of survey and investigation carried out in national parks and sanctuaries without clearing of forest or cutting of trees from requirement of obtaining approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act 198G1 reg. Sir, arrr directed to say that paragraph 1.3 of guidelines issuea under the Forest (Corrservation) Act, L980 (FC Act\ inter-alla provides tlnt investigations and flrrveys carried out in connection with development projects such as transmission lines, hydro-electric projects, seismic surveys, exploration for oil drilling mining etc. wiTlnot attract the provisions of the Act as long as these surveys do not involve any clearing of forest or cufting of trees, and oPerations are restricted to clearing of bushes and lopping of tree branches for purpose of sightinS' The said guidelines however, provides that notwithstanding the above, survey, investigation and exploration shall not be carried out in wildfife sanctuaries, national parks and sample plots dernarcated by the Forest Departrrrent without obtaining the prior approval of the Central Govemment under the FC Act whether or not felling of trees is involved' I After examination of the matter it has been observed that, Wildlife Division in this Ministry vide O.M. No. G1.33/20?1-(part) dated 26ft September 20L4 has issued the guidelines to provide that Chief Wildlife Warden rrury exercise the mandate provided under section 28 of the Wild Life (Proteqtion) Act,1972to perrnit $urvey or investigation work for any development project within a protected area if it dbes not involve any invasive activity coming in definitionof section 29 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act,1972Accordingly, I am directed. to say that investigations and surveys carried out in projects' connection with development projects such as transmission lines, hydro-electric parks national seisrnic sqrveys, exploration for oil drilling, -mining etc. in wildlife sanctuaries, of and sampfe ptrofs &marcaf€d by th. FcnwrDepartrrenralso will not attract the provisions and of trees' the FC Act as long as these surveys do not involvg any ilearing of forest or cutting purpose of for operations are restricted to clearing of bushes and lopping of tree branches sighting. permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden, as provided in the said O.M' No' G tiZlZOt+-1part) dated 26t september 2OL4 issuecl by this Wildlife Division in this Ministry, will however be required to be obtained for such activities to be carried out in wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. fi*t-i't (H.C. ChaudharY), Director Copy to:- 1. prime Ministe/s Office (Kinil attn.: Shri Santosh D. Vaidya, Director), North Block, New Delhi 2. secretary, Ministry of coal, Governrnent of India, New Delhi. 3. secretary, Ministry of Mines, Governrnent of India, New Delhi 4. secretary, Ministry of steel, Governrnent of India, New Delhi 5. The Secretary (Coordina$on), Cabinet Secr:etariat, Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi' 6. ' Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, all State/UT Governments' 7. Nodal Officer, the Forest (Conservation) A.ct, t98O all State/UT Governments' g. All Regional Offices, Ministry of Environrnen! Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India (GoI). g. ]ointsecretary in-charge, Impact AssessmentDivision, MoEFCC, GoI. 10. All Assistant Inspector General of Forests/ Directors in the Forest Conservation Division, MoEFCC, GoI. Director, Regional Offices Headquarters Division, MoEFCC, GoI' '1.2. Sr. Director (Technical), NIC, MoEFCC, GoI with a request to place a coPy of this letter on website of this Ministry. GoI' sr. PPS to the secretary, Ministry of Environrnent, Forests and climate change, 13. 11. 15. GoI' Sr. PPS to the Director General of Forests ,& Special Secretary, MoEFCC, MoEFCC' GoI' Sr. PPS to the Addl. Director General of F'crests (Forest Conservation)' 76. PS 77. Guard File. 74. to the Inspector General of Forests (Fo:rest Conservation), MoEFCC, GoI' (H.C. Chaudhary) Directcir