Govt frames SOPs for approving religious sites in protected zones

To ensure consistency in decision-making while clearing proposals concerning cultural and religious institutions located within forest and protected areas, the wildlife panel of the Environment Ministry has come up with standing operating procedures.

For all proposals on forest land, whether within or outside protected areas, state governments have to verify and certify, with supporting documents, the legal status of the religious site, including whether any rights are recorded in forest or settlement records.

Any construction in the forest after 1980, when the Forest Conservation Act was formulated, is treated as encroachment. However, the wildlife panel clarified that in exceptional cases where the state has issued a ‘reasoned and documented’ order justifying proposed regularisation, such cases may be referred to the ministry for further consideration on a case-by-case basis.

The proposal sent to the Centre by the states should specify the religious and cultural site’s location with respect to protected area boundaries and whether it lies within core or buffer areas, identify the presence of important wildlife habitats or corridors in the vicinity and provide an assessment of the likely impacts of existing and proposed activities on wildlife, including potential human-wildlife conflict.

Proposals which are limited to renovation, repair or upgrade of existing religious structures, without any significant increase in built-up area in the forest, may be considered favourably by the wildlife panel, the minutes of the meeting of the SC-NBWL stated.

Any proposal by the states that involve expansion of already established structures inside the forest limits or areas abutting the protected areas will not be considered by the wildlife panel.

“However, limited expansion may be examined in exceptional cases where it is demonstrably required for ecological or conflict mitigation or for essential public utilities to manage existing pressures without increasing the overall ecological footprint, including creation of buffer or safety zones, waste or sanitation facilities, green area improvements, or establishment of interpretation and awareness facilities. All such exceptional cases shall be examined with extreme caution and, as a rule, placed before the SCNBWL for decision,” the minutes of the meeting of SC-NBWL said.

Currently, proposals for the establishment or continuation of religious sites or institutions located within forest or wildlife areas must be submitted through the respective state boards for wildlife to the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) for consideration and recommendation.

While examining such proposals, last year, the SC-NBWL observed the necessity of formulating a common protocol for judicious decision making. The ministry had formed an expert committee consisting of two SC-NBWL members to draft the SOP.