The Government of India, Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change, Regional Office, Shillong in their letter dated 12.02.2024 have communicated the In-Principle / Stage-I Approval in favour of Department of Power, Nagaland for diversion of 3.93 ha of forest land for construction of 220KV Transmission line from Dimapur to Kohima (Zhadima) at Nagaland Zoological Park, NZP Division, Rangapahar RF subject to the fulfilment of conditions stipulated in the said approval.
In consideration of the compliance of the conditions stipulated in the In-Principle Approval, the Government of India, Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change, Regional Office, Shillong in their letter dated 25.08.2025 have accorded Final Approval for diversion of 3.93 ha of forest land for construction of 220 KV Transmission line from Dimapur to Kohima (Zhadima) at Nagaland Zoological Park, NZP Division, Rangapahar RF by Department of Power, Nagaland subject to fulfilment of the conditions which are listed therein.
The Government of Nagaland has permit diversion of forest land of 3.93 ha. in favour of Department of Power, Nagaland for construction of 220 KV Transmission line from Dimapur to Kohima (Zhadima) at Nagaland Zoological Park, NZP Division, Rangapahar RF.
The Divisional Forest Officer, Nagaland Zoological Park, NZP Division Rangapahar RF Chumoukedima is directed to monitor compliance of the conditions stipulated for such diversion in the respective forest / wildlife clearance order and to report violations, if any, to the Nodal Officer (FC Act), the PCCF & HoFF, Nagaland and to the Environment, Forest & Climate Change Department.
Execution of project activities will be subject to having availability of all other clearances required under relevant Act/Rules for this project, deposit of requisite fees and compliance with Court order if any.
The User Agency shall comply with the following conditions for the purpose of
instant diversion of forest land: -
1.1 Legal status of the diverted forest land shall remain unchanged.
1.2 The compensatory afforestation shall be raised and maintained over double the degraded forest land of 7.98 ha in three plots i.e. 2 ha, 3.98 ha and 2 ha in Rangapahar Reserve Forest, Rangapahar range under Nagaland Zoological Park, NZP Division in Chumoukedima district of Nagaland as per the funds deposited by the User Agency. As far as possible, a mixture of local indigenous species shall be planted and monoculture of any species may be avoided.
1.3 The State Govt shall ensure that the revised rates of Net Present Value amount of the forest land being diverted under this proposal is transferred through online portal by the user agency into CAMPA account of the State concerned as per the Ministry letter File No.5-3/201l-FC(Vol-I) dated 21.03.2022 before issuing of the Final Approval.
1.4 The boundary of the diverted forest land shall be suitably demarcated on ground at the project cost, as per the directions of the concerned Divisional Forest Officer.
1.5 All other clearance/NOCs under different rules/ regulations/local laws and under Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 as required vide MoEF, New Delhi guideline No. 1 l-9/98-FC(Pt) dated 05.02.2013 shall be complied with.
1.6 The State Forest Department shall carry out creation and maintenance of plantation of dwarf species (preferably medicinal plants) under the transmission line from the amount which is already realized from the user agency;
1.7 The complete compliance of the FRA, 2006 shall be ensured by way of prescribed certificate from the concerned District Collector where applicable.
1.8 The User Agency at its cost shall provide bird deflectors, which are to be fixed on upper conductor of transmission line at suitable intervals to avoid bird hits.
1.9 In case the portion of transmission line to be constructed is located in hilly area, where adequate clearance is already available, trees shall not be cut;
l.10 The User Agency shall comply with the guidelines for laying transmission line through forest areas issued by Ministry vide letter no. 7-25/2012-FC dated 05/05/2014 & 19/11/2014.
l.11 The User Agency shall obtain the Environmental Clearance under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, if applicable.
1.12 The lay out of the proposal shall not be changed without the prior approval of the Central Government.
1.13 No labour camps shall be established on the forest land.
1.14 Sufficient firewood, preferably the alternative fuel, shall be provided by the User Agency to the labourer after purchasing the same from the State Forest Department or the Forest Development Corporation or any other legal source of alternative fuel,
1.15 No additional or new path will be constructed inside the forest area for transportation of construction materials for execution of the project work.
1.16 The period of diversion under this approval shall be co-terminus with the period of lease to be granted in favour of the user agency or the project life, whichever is less.
1.17 The user agency will have to obtain the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 for clearance for removal, if any, of stone, river sand, river boulders in forest land.
1.18 The forest land shall not be used for any purpose other than that specified in the project proposal.
1.19 The proposal will be implemented under the overall supervision of the concerned Divisional Forest Officer.
1.20 The concerned Divisional Forest Officer, will monitor and take necessary mitigative measures to ensure that there is no adverse impact on the forests in the surrounding area.
1.21 The User Agency and the State Government shall ensure compliance of all the Court orders, provisions, rules, regulations and guidelines for the time being in force as applicable to the project.
1.22 The forest land proposed to be diverted shall under no circumstances be transferred to any other agencies, department or person without prior approval of Govt, of India.
1.23 Any other conditions that the Regional Office, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change may stipulate from time to time in the interest of conservation, protection and development of forests & wildlife.
2.1 The user agency shall transfer, the Net Present Value (NPV) of the forest land being diverted under this proposal, as per the orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India dated 28/03/2008, 24/04/2008 and 09/05/2008 in Writ petition (Civil) No. 202/1995 and as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry vide letters No 5-3/2007- FC dated 05.02.2009 and Ministry letter File No.5-3/2011-FC(Vol-I) dated 21.03.2022. The requisite funds shall be transferred through online portal into CAMPA account of the State concerned;
2.2 The user agency shall transfer the cost of raising and maintaining the compensatory afforestation at the current wage rate in consultation with State Forest Department in the account of CAMPA of the concerned State through online portal. The scheme may include appropriate anticipated cost increase for works scheduled for subsequent years.
2.3 All the funds received from the user agency (CA and dwarf plantation cost, NPV, etc.) under the project shall be transferred/ deposited to Compensatory Afforestation Fund of Nagaland State managed by the Ad-hoc CAMPA only through e-portal (https://parivesh.nic.in/).
2.4 The compliance report shall be uploaded on e-portal (https://parivesknic.in/).
2.5 The KML files of the area to be diverted, the CA areas, the proposed SMC work, the proposed Catchment Area Treatment area and the WLMP area shall be uploaded on the e-Green watch portal with all requisite details before issuing working permission towards linear projects or submitting compliance report for seeking Stage II approval, as the case may be;
2.6 The boundary of the diverted forest land shall be suitably demarcated on ground at the project cost, as per the directions of the concerned Divisional Forest Officer;
2.7 The charges for felling, logging and transportation of project affected trees should be collected from the User Agency at the rates approved by the State Govt and deposited with the DFO concerned for utilization immediately following the diversion of forest land;
2.8 The expenditure like boundary walls, stone pillars, demarcation charges, cost of damage of trees the funds on these accounts should, be deposited with the DFO concerned;
2.9 The User Agency shall restrict the felling of trees to minimum number in the diverted forest land and the trees shall be felled under the strict supervision of the State Forest Department and the cost of felling of trees shall be deposited by the User Agency with the State Forest Department;
2.10 Violation of any of these conditions will amount to violation of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and action would be taken as per Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 & Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules, 2023, guideline & clarification, 2023;
3. The copies of the Forest Clearance and this order should be submitted to all the heads of local bodies, Panchayats and Municipal bodies etc for publicity.
The Divisional Forest Officer, Nagaland Zoological Park, NZP Division, Chumoukedima is also requested to submit the monitoring report time to time to the Nodal Officer, FCA after fulfilment of all conditions.
The handing over and taking certificate is to be submitted to the Nodal Officer, FCA along with GPS reading and polygon over the diverted land.
(DIPR)