FORM - B
Form for seeking prior approval under Section-2 of the proposals by the State Governments and other authorities, in respect of renewal of leases,
which have been earlier granted clearance under Forest (Conservation) Act,1980
PART - I
(To be filled up by User Agency)
A. General Details
A-1. Project Details
  (i). Proposal No. : FP/TN/Others/37766/2018   (ii). Name of Project for which Forest Land is required : Vainu Bappu Observatory   (iii). Short narrative of the proposal and Project/scheme for which the forest land is required : To renew the lease of Vainu Bappu Observatory 100 acres of land allotted by Govt ,40 acres in 1965 and 60 acres in 1976; and lease was extended, even by Forest Conversation Act 1980 in 2004. Now presenting the concession given by FAC for NPV (F.No. 7-79/2017-EC)   (iv). State : Tamil Nadu   (v). Category of the Proposal : Others   (vi). Shape of forest land proposed to be diverted : Non Linear   (vii). Estimated cost of the Project(Rupees in lacs) : 8000   (viii). Area of forest land proposed for diversion(in ha.): 40   (ix). Non-forest land required for this project(in ha.): 0   (x). Total period for which the forest land is proposed to be diverted(in years): 50
A-2. Details of User Agency
  (i). Name : INDIAN INSTITUTE OF ASTROPHYSICS   (ii). Address1 : Block II, Koramangala,Bangalore   (iii). Address2 : NIL   (iv). State : Karnataka   (v). District : Bangalore Urban   (vi). Pin : 560034   (vii). Landmarks : St John's Hopital   (viii). Email address : shripathi.k@iiap.res.in   (ix). Landline Telephone No. : 22541249   (x). Fax No. : NIL   (xi). Mobile No. : 9422970681   (xii). Website (if any) : www.iiap.res.in   (xiii). Details of Proposals seeking prior approval of Central Government under the Act for diversion of forest land submitted by the User Agency in the past  
List of proposal submitted in Past
S.no Proposal Status. Proposal No. Moef File No. Area Proposed for Diversion(Ha.) Area Diverted(Ha.) Date of In-Principle Approval Date of Final Approval
NIL
  (xiv). Legal status of User Agency : Central Government
A-3. Details of Person Making Application
  (i). First Name: SHRIPATHI   (ii). Middle Name: NIL   (iii). Last Name: K   (iv). Gender: Male   (v). Designation: Administrative Officer   (vi). Address 1: Block II, Koramangala, Bangalore   (vii). Address 2: NIL   (viii). State: Karnataka   (ix). District: Bangalore Urban   (x). Tehsil: Bangalore South   (xi). Pin: 560034   (xii). Landmarks: St John's hospital   (xiii). Email Address: shripathi.k@iiap.res.in   (xiv). Landline Telephone No.: 22541249   (xv). Fax No.: NIL   (xvi). Mobile No.: 9422970681   (xvii). Copy of documents in support of the competence/authority of the person making this application to make application on behalf of the User Agency:
A-4. Details of approvals under the Forest (Conservation) Act , 1980 accorded in the past
Serial No Proposal No MoEF File No Date of approval Area of forest land diverted Period of diversion
1FP/TN/OTHERS/14/2002F(C)A/16.1/33/TN/MISC07 Jul 20044027
A-5. Status of compliance to conditions stipulated in the previous approvals
Serial No Proposal No MoEF File No Conditions stipulated by the MoEF Details of the compliance
1FP/TN/OTHERS/14/2002F(C)A/16.1/33/TN/MISCAs per G.O Ms. No 254, the conditions stipulated as below: 1) Legal Status of forest land shall remain unchanged 2)The total forest land utilized for the project shall not exceed 40 ha. In case the forest land is not used for the stipulated purpose, then the same will be resumed by the forest dept. 3) Any other conditions to be stipulated by the state Govt/PCCF, Tamilnadu in the interest of conservation of forestsAs stipulated in G.O Ms No 254, IIA follow the conditions as stipulated under forest conservation Act 1980. The Forest has been maintained by protecting flora and fauna. The sandal wood trees were guarded and undisturbed despite heavy poaching attempts. Additional trees have been planted to enrich vegetation. This is also very crucial for the research activity since we require clean and steady atmosphere condition, not polluted by light, noise and dust. Isolation distance is required between the telescopes to avoid light, dust and noise pollution.
A-6. Details of payments made in respect of the approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act , 1980 accorded in the past
Serial No Proposal No MoEF File No Item/Nature Amount paid (in Rupees) Date of Payment
1FP/TN/OTHERS/14/2002F(C)A/16.1/33/TN/MISCNet present value500000019 Apr 2011
2FP/TN/OTHERS/14/2002F(C)A/16.1/33/TN/MISCOthers74160022 Jan 2016
3FP/TN/OTHERS/14/2002F(C)A/16.1/33/TN/MISCOthers40920027 Sep 2010
4FP/TN/OTHERS/14/2002F(C)A/16.1/33/TN/MISCOthers26731301 Oct 2005
5FP/TN/OTHERS/14/2002F(C)A/16.1/33/TN/MISCOthers8860.2012 Jul 1985
6FP/TN/OTHERS/14/2002F(C)A/16.1/33/TN/MISCOthers100001 Oct 1970
7FP/TN/OTHERS/14/2002F(C)A/16.1/33/TN/MISCOthers22301 Sep 1975
8FP/TN/OTHERS/14/2002F(C)A/16.1/33/TN/MISCOthers100001 Sep 1965
9FP/TN/OTHERS/14/2002F(C)A/16.1/33/TN/MISCOthers74521304 Oct 2010
10FP/TN/OTHERS/14/2002F(C)A/16.1/33/TN/MISCOthers5222.5004 Apr 1983
A-7. Details of the forest land returned back to the State Forest Department or any other Authority from the forest land diverted in favour of the user agency
  (i). Details of the forest land returned back to the State Forest Department or any other Authority from the forest land diverted in favour of the user agency: No
Serial No Area No of patch Area of patch Uploaded patch Uploaded GPS Date of return Authority Uploaded documentary proof
NIL
A-9. Details of Transfer of Lease
Serial No Name of person Address of person Date of transfer MMDR File Transfer Deed Conservation MoEF_file No Date of approval MoEF file
NIL
B. Details of land required for the Project
B-1. Details of proposal seeking prior approval of Central Government under the Act for diversion of forest land for the Project already submitted in the past
  (i). Whether any proposal seeking prior approval of Central Government under the Act for diversion of forest land required for the project has been submitted in the past?. : Yes   (ii). Details of proposal seeking prior approval of Central Government under the Act for diversion of forest land for the Project already submitted in the past.
List of proposal submitted in Past
S.no Proposal Status. Proposal No. Moef File No. Area Proposed for Diversion(Ha.) Area Diverted(Ha.) Date of In-Principle Approval Date of Final Approval
NIL
B-2. Details of forest land proposed to be diverted
B-2.1 Details of Divisions involved
Details of Divisions involved
S.no Division Name Forest Land(ha.) Non-Forest Land(ha.)
1.Tirupattur400
Total400
B-2.2 Details of Districts involved
District wise breakup
S.no District Name Forest Land(ha.) Non-Forest Land(ha.)
1.Vellore400
Total400
B-2.3 Village wise breakup
Villages wise breakup
S.no Village Forest Land(ha.) Non-Forest Land(ha.)
1Kavalur400
40 0
B-2.4 Component wise breakup
Component wise breakup
S.no Component Forest Land(ha.) Non-Forest Land(ha.)
1Total Built up area of Buildings0.7021780
2Total Landscape Area1.2434620
3Roads1.07280
4Area retained as Forest36.981560
Total 40 0
C. Maps of forest land proposed to be diverted
Division 1. : Tirupattur
  (i). Area of forest land proposed to be diverted(in ha.) : 40   (ii).Shape of forest land proposed to be diverted : Non Linear   (a). No. of patches : One
Patch wise details
Patch No. Area of Patch(in ha.) Kml File of Patches To view KML file on google the same may be downloaded and then open if in google earth install in your computer.
1.40    View File
  (iii). Copy of Survey of India Toposheet indicating boundary of forest land proposed to be diverted:   (iv). Scanned copy of the Geo-referenced map of the forest land proposed to be diverted prepared by using DGPS or Total Station:
D. Justification for locating the Project in forest land and details of alternatives examined
  (i). Copy of note containing justification for locating the Project in forest land:
E. Employment likely to be generated
  (i). Whether the Project is likely to generate employment ?: Yes   (ii). Permanent/Regular Employment(Number of persons): 39   (iii). Temporary Employment(Number of person-days): 14040
F. Displacement of People due to the Project, if any
  (i). Whether Project involves displacement?: No
G. Details of Cost-Benefit analysis for the Project
  (i). Whether the Project requires Cost-Benefit analysis?: No
H. Status of Environmental Clearance
  (i). Whether the Project requires Clearance under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986 ? : No
I. Status of Wildelife Clearance
  (i). Whether the Project or a part thereof is located in any Protected Area or their Eco sensitive zone? : No
J. Applicability of special provisions governing Scheduled Areas
  (i).Whether the Project or a part thereof is located in a Scheduled Area? : Yes
K. Status of settlement of rights under the Forest Rights Act,2006 on the forest land proposed to be diverted
  (i). Whether the process for settlement of Rights under the Forest Rights Acts 2006 on the forest land proposed to be diverted has been completed? : No
L. Details of land identified for Compensatory Afforestation
  (i). Whether non-forest or Revenue forest land is required to be provided by User Agency?: NIL   (ii). Whether the area of non-forest land or Revenue forest land required to be provided by User Agency for raising Compensatory Afforestation is less than area of forest land proposed to be diverted ?: NIL   (iii) . Reason for not providing Non-Forest Land: NIL
Additional information Details
Documents
S.No Documents
Remarks
1FAC meeting memorandum held on 22/3/2018 and their recommendation on NPV payment for only 10 acres
2GO M/s No 254- recommendation to Govt of India to waive the compensatory afforestation charges as a special case
3Writ Petition (Civil) No202 of 1995 of Supreme Court of India, Para No 09 to 12 - Justification on 40 hectares land which is required for forest land diversion
4GO No 676 dated 21-5-1980 for additional 60 acres of forest land
5Letter from Mr Debasis Jana IFS to certify on the forest conservation act 1980 is followed
6Lease payments and the NPV made towards forest lease from the beginning till up to date.
7Previous form seeking prior approval under section 2 of the proposal by the state Govt
8Letter from MOEF for seeking approval (previous proposal) dated 11th July 2004
9Letter from PCCF to CCF and To The Secretary of Govt, MOEF for previous proposal Ref No TS3/25555/02/dated 4/12/2003
10VBO Total Build up area counter signed by Director
11Certificate to effect that no violation to provision of Forest Conservation Act 1980
12Declaration to the conditions stipulated in previous approval in 2004
13Justification report for locating the project
14MOeF Minutes of the FAC meeting held on 22nd March 2018 Agenda No 04 F.No.7-79/2015-FC (pt VI)
15Undertaking letter to pay lease as fixed by forest dept
16Undertaking letter to pay NPV in future as per the guidelines by Hon'ble Supreme Court of India as fixed by Forest Dept
17Memorandum No 20872/FR/III/75-21 dated 18/10/1976 connected to G.O Ms.No.1759 Food and Agricultute dated 5-5-65 for extension of Forest land
18Additional justification from Director for locating the project in Reserved forest area
19Reply on compliance report from Administrative officer
20Justification report
21GPS coordinates of 9.36 acres of used demarcated area of VBO singed by Proposer
22Outline showing used demarcated area of 9.36 acres of VBO Kavalur
23Reply to DFO Thirupathur on letter No 9057/98D dated 18.02.2020
24Picture taken from Vainu Bappu Telescope showing the vegetation and density
25KML showing 9.36 used demarcated area in pdf format