The Action Plan for Mitigating Potential Area of Corruption seeks creation of a decision support database. It contains information on qualitative, quantitative and administrative attributes of forests and external factors having direct or indirect bearing on quality, quantity and management of forests.
It also seeks to achieve "informed, unbiased and expeditious decisions" on diversion of forest land for non -forest purpose.
The vigilance division of the Environment Ministry, which brought out the Action Plan, says this would bring objectivity in proposals seeking forest clearance.
For strengthening of the present forest clearance proposal processing, the Ministry has decided to open four regional offices and make provision for e-filing of forest clearance applications.
It also seeks creation of additional posts of Deputy Inspector General of Forests/Assistant Inspector General of Forests in the Forest Conservation Division.
These steps are expected to eliminate the reasons for delay in processing the forest clearance proposals, reduce the direct human interface, and expedite processing of proposals, the Ministry said.
The Ministry has also suggested time-bound actions in the processing of recommendations of Forest Advisory Committee.
To eliminate discretion in monitoring the post project forest clearance conditions, the Ministry has decided to formulate a comprehensive policy in four months.
According to it, the decision like public disclosure of self monitoring reports submitted by project proponents by placing its copy on website of the Ministry would eliminate chances of illegalities observed during monitoring.
