Cong-BJP spar over diversion of forest land to ArcelorMittal

The issue cropped up in the House during Question Hour when Congress MLA from Jambusar Sanjay Solanki’s starred question on the subject was taken up for discussion.

In reply to Solanki’s question, Minister of State for Forest, Environment & Climate Change Jagdish Panchal said that ArcelorMittal group was granted permission to divert 65.73 hectare forest land under the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act.

Panchal further said that the state government also recovered Rs 6.93 crore in cash for compensatory afforestation while also acquiring 206.38 hectare land as compensation from the company in Kutch district, as per rules, for granting diversion of forest land.

While replying in the House, Panchal launched an attack on Congress and said the Forest (Conservation) Act was introduced by Congress government at Centre under the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

He added that during its rule between 1980 and 1995 in Gujarat, Congress diverted 11,714 hectare, for industrial use, more than BJP government’s 3,054 hectare.

“We have given 65 hectare land to ArcelorMittal Group and against that the list of land given to private parties by Congress is much longer,” Panchal said.

Panchal further added that the BJP governments from 1995 till date granted 3,000-odd hectare land for irrigation, 9,396 hectare for road expansion and 39,750.59 hectare land to the farmers of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities.

Congress Chief Whip C J Chavda accused BJP of giving special treatment to ArcelorMittal Group, claiming that the company (earlier known as Essar Steel Ltd) had encroached upon the land 10 years before it was formally allotted to it.

Deputy Leader of Congress Shailesh Parmar alleged that the government had given undue benefit of Rs 4,968 crore to ArcelorMittal Group while not recovering the amount of fine for the encroachment at the rate of Rs 10 lakh per hectare from it.

Replying to Parmar, Panchal said that the government has collected a fine at the rate of Rs 7.5 lakh per hectare from the company for the encroachment.

Panchal also said that by granting diversion of forest land for industrial purposes to ArcelorMittal Group, the government has not given ownership rights to the company.

“ArcelorMittal does not get ownership right at all. Forest department will remain owner of the land.”

Panchal said that the diversion of forest land to ArcelorMittal Group was also challenged before Gujarat High Court through a public interest litigation (PIL) and the court did not grant the prayers in the PIL.

He also added that two proposals of the ArcelorMittal Group seeking diversion of forest land measuring 178.76 hectare in total are currently pending.