ORDER IA No. 2370 1. Taken on board. The present application has been filed by the State of Himachal Pradesh. CEC has examined the feasibility and has given the following recommendations: 1. Felling of trees from the forest area approved for non-forestry use under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 may continue to be permissible; 2. Compact wooded blocks of above ,five hectares, which are otherwise not notified/recorded as forest, should be treated as "forests" for the purpose of the FC Act. Felling of trees and non-forest use of such areas should be permissible only after obtaining approval under the FC Act; 3. Felling of trees in non-forest areas should be strictly regulated as per the provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Land Preservation Act, 1978; and 4. No felling of trees or non-forest use of area falling within the National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries should be permissible unless specifically permitted by this Hon'ble Court. The recommendation of the CEC is extended to the whole of State of Himachal Pradesh except in respect of Khair trees from the non-forest areas. 2. IA is disposed of accordingly. IAs Nos. 2079-80, 2301-03, 2546 and WP (C) No. 301 of 2008 3. The learned amicus curiae has suggested the name of Shri E.N. Rammohan, IPS and Director General of BSF (Retd.) as the one-Member SIT. The State of Maharashtra has no objection to this. Mr Rammohan can take the assistance of any person he desires. SIT is authorised to call for any documents/records or seek personal assistance of the State Officer/State functionary concerned in discharge of the duties. SIT will file its report to this Court at the earliest, preferably within a period of four months. IAs Nos. 2614-15 4. As these matters relate to the dispute regarding some service matters, we are not inclined to go into these matters on merits. Accordingly, the applications are dismissed as withdrawn with liberty to the applicant to take any other appropriate action. IA No. 2068 5. This application has been filed by the State seeking permission for renovation/construction of five roads falling in Sariska Tiger Reserve. CEC has examined the same and made the following recommendations: 1. Four traffic barriers will be erected and maintained by the Forest Department at Kushalgarh-Bharthari Junction near "Thank you Board" and Ghata Bandrole for restricting the traffic within the sanctuary; 2. CEC has examined the same and made the following recommendations: 1. Four traffic barriers will be erected and maintained by the Forest Department at Kushalgarh-Bharthari Junction near "Thank you Board" and Ghata Bandrole for restricting the traffic within the sanctuary; 2. Diversion boards at Ghata Bandrole, Kushalgarh and Bharthari junction will be installed by PWD. In addition two direction boards indicating commencement of the sanctuary area will be installed by PWD at Natni Ka Baran and near "Thank you Board" (km 204/0); 3. The Tehla-Sariska Road (State Highway 29-A) which passes c through the core area of sanctuary will be closed to traffic. The existing road between Burja Tirya to Thanagazi via Kishori-Ajabgarh will be repaired/renovated and used as an alternative road; 4. Movement of the commercial vehicles on State Highway 13 between Kushalgarh Tiraya (km 196/0) to near "Thank you Board" (km 204/00) will be stopped; and t 5. During the night no movement of vehicles on the above stretch will be permitted. The traffic will pass through the bypass road. The recommendations are acceptable to the State. IA is allowed subject to fulfilment of above recommendations by the State. IA No. 2223 6. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board seeks permission to cut 738 trees from the reserve forest area for implementation of the Kollimalai Hydro Electric Project at Kollimalai, District Namakkal. CEC has suggested the following conditions: (a) the tree felling will be done under the supervision and direction of the Forest Department; (b) the tree felling will be kept to the barest minimum possible; and (c) wherever technically feasible, instead of felling, the tree will be transplanted. The said conditions are acceptable to the State. IA is allowed subject to fulfilment of the above conditions by the State. IAs Nos. 2252-53 7. Application for exemption from filing OT is allowed. 8. The State of M.P. seeks permission for construction of a high level bridge across Chambal River. As the construction is likely to have some impact on the National Chambal Crocodile Sanctuary, the matter was examined by the CEC and subject to the following conditions, CEC has f recommended the project: 1. 5% of the estimated project cost of Rs 22.55 crores i.e. Rs 1.128 crores will be deposited in the compensatory afforestation fund for undertaking conservation and protection measures in the sanctuary; 2. 5% of the estimated project cost of Rs 22.55 crores i.e. Rs 1.128 crores will be deposited in the compensatory afforestation fund for undertaking conservation and protection measures in the sanctuary; 2. For the use of non-forest land falling within the sanctuary, the NPV will be deposited as per this Hon'ble Court's order dated 9 28-3-20081 in the NPV matter; 3. The conditions stipulated by the Chief Wildlife Warden will be strictly complied with. 9. Subject to fulfilment of the above conditions, the project is approved. IA is allowed accordingly. IA No. 2276 10. The State of M.P. seeks permission for construction of Interpretation Centre at Bhimbetka, District Raisen in the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary. There is no involvement of felling of trees. CEC has suggested that no felling of trees will take place for implementation of the project and the directions/conditions, if any, stipulated by the Chief Wildlife Warden be strictly complied with. Subject to this, the project is cleared. 11. IA is allowed accordingly. Court Masters