The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) has issued forest clearance (Stage-I) to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), approving diversion of 154.42 hectares of forest land for the proposed missile test launch facility at Gullalamoda village in Krishna district.
According to the order, a copy of which is with The Hindu , the Forest Advisory Committee of the Central government granted the clearance in May on a range of conditions under the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980. The land includes 46 hectares of the Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary. “The Compensatory Afforestation (CA), twice in extent to the area of forest land proposed to be diverted, should be raised within three years from the date of issue of the Stage II forest clearance and land identified for the CA should be depicted on Survey of India.”
The DRDO should transfer the funds for the Net Present Value of the forest to be diverted as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court (2008) and design a comprehensive wildlife management plan.
Notifying additional area
The order signed by MoEF Assistant Inspector General, Forest Conservation Division, Rajagopal Prashant, says: “In lieu of the area diverted for DRDO, an equivalent mangrove and mudflat area adjacent and contiguous to the sanctuary (KWS) should be notified and included in the KWS.”
The work should be halted during the nesting season — January to May — of Olive Ridley Turtles and lighting should be wildlife friendly. Of late, the DRDO was told to explore transporting material required for the construction of the project through the Krishna water way instead of road way.
Krishna district Collector B. Lakshmikantam told The Hindu on Sunday that suitable land to be spared for afforestation had been identified. “A proposal for release of compensation to be offered to those affected by the DRDO project has been submitted to the DRDO,” he said.
