Varanasi-Shaktinagar Section of NH-5A in Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Obra, Renukut Forest Divisions and Kaimur Wild Life Sanctuary in the State of Uttar Pradesh – Regarding
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F. No. 8-86/2012-FC Diversion of 129.251 ha of forest land in favour of Uttar Pradesh State Highway Authority (UPSHA) for widening/ upgradation of Varanasi-Shaktinagar section of NH-5A in Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Obra, Renukut Forest Divisions and Kaimur Wild life Sanctuary in the State of Uttar Pradesh – regarding. 1. The State Government of Uttar Pradesh vide its letter no. 2636/14-2-2012-800(70)/2012 dated 12.10.2012 has submitted the above mentioned diversion proposal for seeking prior approval of the Central Government in accordance with Section – 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. 2. The proposed road envisages widening and upgrdation of existing State Highway to four lane with paved shoulders starting from Naray7anpur (in Mirzapur District) to Sonbhadra, Dala and upto Shaktinagar. The present proposal has been proposed keeping in view increased traffic and to ensure traffic safety. As per the State Government order dated 14.05.2010, a paln of Rs. 1211.96 has been prepared to develop the Highway on PPP basis. 3. The Regional Office, Lucknow of this Ministry conducted the site Inspection of the proposed area and submitted report to this Ministry vide letter dated 3rd January, 2013. The regional Office has recommended the proposal subject to fulfilment of certain conditions (Pg 166/c). 4. The facts related to the proposal as contained in the State Government’s letter dated 12.10.2012 are given as under: A. FACT SHEET 1. Name of the Proposal Diversion of 129.251 ha of forest land for widening/upgradation of NH-5A (Varanasi-Shaktinagar Section) from Km 0.00 to 117.650 in Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Obra, Renukoot forest Divisions and kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in the state of Uttar Pradesh in favour of U. P. State Highway Authority. 2. Location (i) State Uttar Pradesh (ii) District Mirzapur and Sonbhadra 3. Particulars of Forests: (i) Name of Forest Division Name of the Social Area (ha) and Forest area involved. Forestry Division Mirzapur 44.587 Sonbhadra 7.517 Kaimur (LS) 19.80 Obra 52.577 Renukut 4.77 Total 129.251 (ii) Legal status/Sy.No. Protected and Reserved Forests (iii) Map i. Mirzapur 146/c ii. Sonbhadra 148/c iii. Kaimur 152/c iv. Obra 154/c v. Renukut 156/c 4. Topography of the area - 5. (i) Geology - (ii) Vulnerability to erosion i. Mirzapur Not vulnerable ii. Sonbhadra Not vulnerable Kaimur Not vulnerable iii. Obra Not vulnerable iv. Renukut Not vulnerable 6. (i) Vegetation Eucalytus, Imli, Babul, Barmal, Bargad, Badhar, Badam, Bair, Bail, kanji, Kasitha, Kahua, Kadam Kathal Mahua, Molsi, Siras, Chilbil, Nithora, Peepal Pakad, Shahtut, Sheesham, Sangwan, Semar, Jamun, Neem, Akesiya, Amaltas, Aam, Aawala, Arjun, Goldmohar, Rithori, Paras, reewa, Gigna, Ashok, Gular, Khair, Shidh, Vijayshal, tendu, Bakain, Koriea, Dhair, Kathmahul, Ten, Guruch, Kakor, etc. i. Mirzapur 0.2 ii. Sonbhadra 0.2 (ii) Density iii. Kaimur 0.2 iv. Obra 0.2 v. Renukut 0.5 i. Mirzapur Below 60 cm 3343 (iii) No. of trees to be felled Above 60 cm 327 Total 3670 ii. Kaimur WLS 1465 iii. Sonbhadra (Kaimur, Obra & Renukut FD) Below 60 cm 14461 Above 60 cm 501 Total 14962 Grand Total 18632 7. Whether area is significant from i. Mirzapur - No wildlife point of view ii. Sonbhadra - No iii. Kaimur - No iv. Obra - No v. Renukut - No 8. Whether forms part of National i. Mirzapur - No park, Wildlife Sanctuary, ii. Sonbhadra - No Biosphere Reserve, Tiger iii. Kaimur - No Reserve, Elephant Corridor, etc. iv. Obra - No (if so, details of the area and v. Renukut - No comments of the Chief Wildlife Warden 9. Whether any RET species of i. Mirzapur - No flora and fauna are found in the ii. Sonbhadra - No area. If so details thereof iii. Kaimur - No iv. Obra - No v. Renukut - No 10. Approximate distance of the Proposed area is part of the protected and reserved forests. proposed site for diversion from boundary of forest. 11. Whether any protected i. Mirzapur - No archaeological/ heritage ii. Sonbhadra - No site/defence establishment or iii. Kaimur - No any other important iv. Obra - No monuments is located in the v. Renukut - No area. 12. Whether any work of in i. Mirzapur - No violation of the Forest ii. Sonbhadra - No (Conservation) Act, 1980 has iii. Kaimur - No been carried out (Yes/No). If iv. Obra - No yes details of the same v. Renukut - No including period of work done, action taken on erring officials. Whether work in violation is still in progress. 13. Whether the requirement of Yes, the requirement of land is unavoidable and barest forest land as proposed by the minimum in all the Forest Divisions. user agency in col. 2 of Part-I is unavoidable and barest minimum for the project, if no recommended area item-wise with details of alternatives examined. 14. Whether clearance under the No. Environment (protection) Act, 1986 is required? 15. Compensatory Afforestation (i) Details of non-forest i. Mirzapur - CA has been proposed over double degraded area/degraded forest area forest land i.e. 45.820 ha identified for CA, its ii. Kaimur WLS - Plantation of trees double the number of distance from adjoining affected trees on road sides is proposed over 4.68 ha. forest, number of patches, iii. Obra - Plantation of trees double in extent to affected sixe of each patches. trees on road sides over a length of 28 km has been proposed. iv. Sonbhadra – CA has been proposed over equivalent non –forest land i.e. 7.517 ha. v. Renukut - CA has been proposed over double degraded forest land i.e. 10.00 ha (ii) Map showing non- Mirzapur (p-140) forest/degraded forest area Kaimur identified for CA and Sonbhadra (p-138) adjoining forest boundaries. Kaimur Obra Renukut (p-140 A) (iii) Detailed CA scheme i. Mirzapur -CA scheme for Rs. 1,04,50,487/- is including species to be enclosed planted, implementing ii. Kaimur - CA scheme for Rs. 22,62,145/-is enclosed. agency, time schedule, cost iii. Sonabhadra - Not given. structure, etc. iv. Obra -CA scheme for Rs. 1,27,22,612/- is enclosed. v. Renukut -CA scheme for Rs. 8,13,331/- is enclosed. (iv) Total financial outlay for CA i. Mirzapur - Rs. 1,04,50,487/- ii. Kaimur - Rs. 22,62,145/- iii. Sonabhadra - Rs. 6,09,982/- iv. Obra - Rs. 1,27,22,612/- v. Renukut - Rs. 8,13,331/- (v) Certificate from the The concerned Divisional Forest Officer has given competent authority suitability certificate for compensatory afforestation on non- regarding suitability of the forest land and double degraded forest land. area identified for CA and from management point of view. 16. Catchment Area Treatment Not Applicable 17. Rehabilitation of Oustees Not Applicable a) No of families involved Not Applicable b) Category of families Not Applicable c) Details of rehabilitation Not Applicable plan 18. Cost Benefit Ratio Approx. Employment for 550 people per day for approx 03 years. (pg- 57) Skilled man days 162000.00 Unskilled man days 432000.00 19. Total Cost of the Project Rs. 1211.96 Crores 20. Recommendation i. DFO Yes ii. CCF Yes iii. Nodal Officer Yes iv SG Yes 21. District Profile (i) Total Geographical area of i. Mirzapur - 4522000.00 ha the district ii. Sonbhadra - 6788.00 Km iii. Kaimur - 6788 Km iv. Obra - 6788 Km v. Renukut - 6788.00 Km (ii) Total Forest area/Divisional i. Mirzapur - 104405.00 Forest area ii. Sonbhadra - 432.65 Km iii. Kaimur - 432.65 Km iv. Obra - 3782.86 Km v. Renukut - 3782.86 Km (iii) Total area diverted i. Mirzapur 206.7167 ha (23 cases) since 1980 ii. Sonbhadra 117.66 ha (3 cases) iii. Kaimur ------------------- iv. Obra 1718.36 ha (59 cases) v. Renukut (36 cases) (iv) Total CA stipulated since i. Mirzapur 1980 (Forest land) Forest land - Nil Non forest land – 49.210 ha Penal CA - 106.621 ha Total - 155.831 ha ii. Sonbhadra 128.00 ha Forest land - 128.0 ha Non forest land – Nil Penal CA - Nil Total - 128.0 ha iii. Kaimur Forest land - Nil Non forest land – Nil Penal CA - Nil iv. Obra Forest land -900.31 ha Non forest land – Nil Penal CA - Nil Total - 900.31 ha v. Renukut Forest land - 17.79 ha Non forest land – Nil Penal CA - 2206.0 ha Total - 2223.79 ha Progress made in CA i. Mirzapur Forest land - 40.00 ha Non forest land – 35.00 ha Total - 75.00 ha ii. Sonbhadra Forest land - 128.0 ha Non forest land – Nil Total - 128.0 ha iii. Kaimur Forest land - Nil Non forest land – Nil iv. Obra Forest land - 460.00 ha Non forest land – Nil Total - 460.00 ha v. Renukut Forest land - 2206.00 ha Non forest land – 17.79 ha B. SITE INSPECTION REPORT Site inspection of the area was carried out by Shri Y.K. Singh Chauhan, IFS, CCF (Central), MoEF, RO, Lucknow and Smt. Prachi Gangwar, IFS, Dy.CF (Central), MoEF, RO, Lucknow and the finding of the team are as under: 1. Legal status of the forest land proposed for diversion: The total forest land proposed for diversion is 129.251 ha out of which 106.391 ha declared under Section-4 Sub-section-1 (a) of Indian Forest Act, 1927 and finally notified under Section-20 as Reserved Forest vide Notification No. 7537/14-278-54 dated 15th November, 1977 and 23(2)-95-14-kha-67 dated 10th December, 1983 by Forest Department of U.P. as Reserved Forest (in Hindi version 34.014 ha written as Arakshit Van and 72.377 ha as Rakshit Van). In addition to it, 22.860 ha forest land in Mirzapur district declared as Protected Forest for management purpose under Section-29 of Indian Forest Act, 1927 vide notification No.