CENTRE GRANTS Rs.18 CRORE TO CLEAN PAMBA RIVER IN KERALA
CENTRAL TEAM TO VISIT KERALA SOON
TO DECIDE ON GIVING FOREST LAND TO TRIBALS
A team of experts
will visit Kerala shortly for an on the spot study of the issue
relating to diversion of around 12,000 hectares of vested forest
land to tribals under the provisions of Kerala Private Forests
Act, 1971 and Forest Conservation Act, 1980. A final decision
will be taken after the site visit. This was decided at a meeting
between Shri T.R.Baalu, Minister of Environment and Forests and
Shri A.K.Antony, Chief Minister of Kerala here today.
On the issue of eco-restoration
of degraded forests through the mechanism of Joint Forest Management,
it was observed that out of 31 forests/wildlife divisions, the
State government had already submitted 25 projects to the Ministry.
Of these, six have already been approved at a cost of Rs.20 crore.
The remaining 19 projects were received towards the end of the
last financial year (2002-03) and are under consideration of the
Ministry.
Shri Antony said
that the State government had submitted a project for plantation
of 16,000 hectares of bamboo involving an outlay of around Rs.42
crore. Shri Baalu informed that the project had been forwarded
by the Ministry to the Planning Commission for their consideration
under the Bamboo Mission. In the meanwhile the State government
has agreed to take up Bamboo plantation under the existing National
Afforestation Programme of the National Afforestation and Eco-development
Board.
Mr. Baalu conveyed
to Mr. Anthony the Ministry's sanction of Rs. 18.45 Crores for
control of pollution in the river Pamba under the National Conservation
Plan. The project involves establishment of 3 MLD (Million Litres
Daily) sewage treatment plant at Sabarimala and another one of
1.5 MLD at Pamba.
