Road projects along China border to get fast-track approval

After giving two quick green clearances to defence projects, the environment ministry has now decided to fast-track road projects along India-China border. These road projects within 100 kilometres of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are crucial for troop movements and other related developments for security point of view.

A decision on environmental and forest clearances on building defence infrastructure in areas in the 100 km-range from the LAC can be taken by the state governments concerned, environment minister Prakash Javadekar said. "Construction of roads within 100 kilometres of Line of Actual Control will be given fast-track approval", said the environment minister Prakash Javadekar. A policy in this regard will be formulated very soon, he told reporters. The 4,056-km-long LAC with China touches four states — J&K, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
Interestingly, it is the second such decision keeping China in mind.

The ministry has earlier given its go ahead to set up a radar station at Narcondam in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

The project was pending for long despite repeated requests from the defence establishment which wanted to install the radar at the strategic location in view of suspected Chinese presence and "listening post" on nearby Coco Island.

Though Coco Island in the Bay of Bengal belongs to Myanmar, China is learnt to have set up extensive infrastructure there.

Referring to the delays in grating clearances to such vital projects under previous government, Javadekar said, "Delays in Defence projects were due to case by case decision making process. We'll make policy laid decisions. We will put policies in place".

"We are evolving new ways of solutions to the existing problems of environment clearances. We are evolving policy based solutions", he said after his meeting with defence secretary R K Mathur.Mathur met the environment minister with the list of other remaining projects which includes many minor infrastructure projects (permanent stations) for the Coast Guard along western and eastern coasts.

Javadekar is learnt to have assured him that his ministry is committed to stop delays in granting nod to such important projects which are important for national security.- Times of india