Environment norms eased for projects along Indo-China border and Maoist affected areas

New Delhi: The government on Tuesday decided to relax environment norms to a great extent in the border areas along China and in the Maoist hit areas within the country to facilitate infrastructure projects.
Owing to the changed rules, the infrastructure projects in these areas will not have to adhere to strict environment protection conditions.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Prakash Javadekar, Environment and Forest Minister said that border roads and defence infrastructures within 100 kilometres of the Line of Actual Control have been brought under the general approval scheme.
The Maoist affected areas will also have relaxed forest clearance norms for building roads in the areas. The government is about to take up road building projects along the border and in the Maoist affected areas to defy threats to the country.
The decision of the environment Ministry will see the development of 6,000 km of roads along the strategically important China border.