By: Ibni Maqbool
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered that no wood-based industry shall be installed or operated within eight kilometers aerial distance from the boundary of the nearby reserved forest.
The Department of Forest, Environment and Ecology has unveiled “The Jammu and Kashmir Wood-based Industries (Establishment and Regulation) Rules-2022” to conform to the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court in T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India & others.
According to the Rules, a copy of which is in possession of The Precious Kashmir, no wood-based industry shall be installed or operated within eight kilometers (aerial distance) from the boundary of nearby reserved forest, unless located within the boundaries of “municipal area” or “industrial area” notified by the government irrespective of the distance from the nearby reserved forest.
The Rule shall not apply to the existing saw mills owned and operated by the Forest Department or the Jammu & Kashmir Forest Development Corporation as may be specified by the Government.
The Government has also ordered that no new wood-based industry shall be installed/ operated without consent to establish/ operate from Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee/Board.
According to the Rules, no furniture unit shall be installed or operated within three kilometers (aerial distance) from the boundary of nearby reserved forest, unless located within the boundaries of municipal area or industrial area notified by the government irrespective of the distance from the nearby reserved forest.
The Rules also provide that the Government may, on the recommendations of a broad-based committee constituted for the purpose, restrict the maximum number wood-based industries that may be installed in any given locality.