Don’t delay vital projects, CM tells forest officers

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 13

Referring to delay in development projects due to forest clearance, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the divisional forest officers had the power to sanction one hectare of land for undertaking listed development activities in the Forest Clearance Act.

“The forest officers should not create unnecessary delay in granting forest clearance up to one hectare”, he said, adding that many road projects and irrigation schemes were hanging due to this clause.

Singh also stressed growing off-season vegetables for better remuneration to the farmers. He said there was no paucity of funds for development activities and he hoped that the union government would always heed to the requests of the state government for funds.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated the lift irrigation supply scheme completed with an outlay of Rs 25 lakh at Chaili in Shimla. The scheme will cater to the irrigational needs of as many as 800 families of the area.

He announced upgrade of Government Middle School, Chaili to High School and veterinary dispensary for Chaili. He also announced early completion of work on Totu-Kyar and Chaili road for ambulance services.

He said during the last three years 14 irrigation and water supply schemes were completed in the Shimla rural constituency with an outlay of Rs. 6.77 crore.

Singh said the work on 25 irrigation and drinking water supply schemes was in progress on which Rs 114 crore was being spent including the Rs 105 crore lift water supply scheme, Garoh-Gandhal near Dhami which will facilitate 39 panchayats of the area.