The MoEFCC has decided to let the initiation of non-coal mining operations in non-forest land before stage-Il forest clearance is acquired for the forest land, in circumstances where both forest and non- forest land are involved in a project, in yet another effort to make doing business easier. When this policy was first issued in December 2021, it was exclusively applicable to coal mines.

Recently, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), a statutory authority that decides on requests for forest removal, accepted the policy with a condition. The FAC advised that, for all or a portion of the non-forest land under the mining lease, the concerned state governments, Union territories, or authorities should submit a separate mining plan or execute a separate mining lease.

Then they can approve mining activities on the non-forest land.

However, this will only be possible once stage-I approval, compensation levies, and environmental clearance have been received.