India, March 25 -- The forest advisory committee (FAC) of the Union environment ministry has recommended in-principle approval for the diversion of forest land for several major mining and infrastructure projects, including over 1,000 hectares for a coal block and around 470 hectares for a coal mine, both in Madhya Pradesh, and has allowed round-the-clock exploratory drilling in Assam.

The committee deferred its decision on forest diversion for a 680 MW hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh.

According to the minutes of the FAC meeting held on February 27, seen by HT, the committee recommended in-principle approval for the diversion of 469.612 hectares of reserve forest for the proposed underground Gondbahera Ujheni East coal mine i...