State boards may get power to allow oil pipelines in forests

NBWL CONSIDERED THAT CLEARANCE FOR OIL PIPELINES COULD BE SOUGHT AT THE STATE LEVEL, JUST LIKE DRINKING WATER PIPELINES, OPTICAL FIBER CABLES AND POWER CABLES

- Jayashree Nandi

The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) is considering a proposal to allow state wildlife boards to consider the laying of slurry, petroleum and crude oil pipelines through roads inside protected forests and wildlife areas, an agenda of the panel's recent meeting revealed.

The standing committee, which met on December 9, also discussed the finalisation of a standard operating procedure for cultural and religious institutions located within forest and wildlife areas. The Union environment ministry had constituted an expert committee to consider such proposals and has already sought comments from states on the expert committee report.