Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday called on Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav at New Delhi and requested for a separate full-fledged integrated regional office for the ministry here.
He said the integrated regional office should not be limited to sub-office so as to grant speedy forest clearances for projects of national importance like four laning and strategic defence infrastructure projects, a statement issued here said.
He apprised the union minister that the state government is going to construct Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools in the state with a campus area of approx five hectares and requested for relaxation under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980 for the construction of schools in hilly areas.
Advertisement
He also requested that the state government may be empowered to approve the diversion of forest land under FCA 1980 for non-forestry purposes up to five hectares.
The chief minister apprised that the state government has decided to construct heliports in all the districts of the state and the proposals are still pending with the ministry and requested for speedy approvals on a priority basis.
The union minister assured of all possible assistance to the state.
-With PTI Input
