Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The Assam government has permitted the diversion of over 239 hectares of forest land for 39 projects in 22 reserve forests of the state after obtaining final approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
The Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department granted permission under Rule 11(7) of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules, 2023, read with Section 2(1) of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980.
According to the notification, the diversion will be subject to the conditions stipulated in the final approvals granted by the Central Government. The approved proposals cover a wide range of activities, including oil and gas exploration and drilling, transmission lines, natural gas pipelines, roads, a major urban ring road project, police commando battalion camps, telecommunications infrastructure and power-distribution works.
Among the major proposals is the diversion of 7.12 hectares of forest land in Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary under the Guwahati Wildlife Division for construction of the Guwahati Ring Road, including a bridge over the Brahmaputra and widening of the NH-27 from Basistha to Jorabat. Another significant approval involves 9.23 hectares in Borail Wildlife Sanctuary (East Block) in the Cachar Division for 11 tower locations of the 132 KV Haflong-Jiribam transmission line.
The government has also approved forest diversion for two 400 KV transmission lines connecting NHPC's 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project at Gerukamukh to Biswanath Chariali. The projects involve 34.32 hectares and 32.78 hectares of forest land, respectively, in the Subansiri Reserved Forest.
A number of oil and gas exploration projects have also received approval, particularly in Doyang Reserved Forest, Nambar South Reserved Forest, Upper Dehing Reserved Forest, Diphu Reserved Forest and other forest areas.
The notification includes several recent approvals from 2026. These include forest diversion for six development drilling wells in Doyang Reserved Forest for ONGC, exploratory drilling locations in Doyang and Nambar South Reserved Forests, and pipeline and power infrastructure projects.
Small areas of forest land have also been permitted for BSNL USOF 4G Saturation Projects in Hailakandi district, including sites at Bhai Bonti, GOLLACHERRA, KACHURTHAL and Bangla Vasha.
The notification lists the project-wise proposal numbers, areas, forest divisions and names of the reserved forests or protected areas concerned.
The approved projects collectively involve forest land spread across Golaghat, Kamrup East, Dhemaji, Dhansiri, Goalpara, North Kamrup, Digboi, Hailakandi, Sivasagar, Doomdooma, Jorhat, Karimganj, Guwahati Wildlife, Lakhimpur and Cachar divisions, among others.
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