User agencies are legally mandated to seek prior forest clearances for diversion of forest land to be used in industries or public projects. (File image)

Flagging submission of “undertakings” instead of furnishing details on compliance in cases of penal compensatory afforestation, the Union Environment Ministry has pulled up state governments and said this practice was causing delays in granting final forest approvals.

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In a communication sent to the Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries (Forests) of all states and Union Territories, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said it had observed a pattern of states submitting undertakings from user agencies like private companies, government departments or public sector undertakings, instead of providing complete details of penal compensatory afforestation as mandated under guidelines issued in January this year.

Under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, compensatory…