Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
(i) Investigations and surveys carried out in connection with development projects such as transmission lines, hydro-electric projects, seismic surveys, exploration for oil drilling etc., will not attract the provisions of the Act as long as these surveys do not involve any clearing of forest or cutting of trees, and operations are restricted to clearing of bushes and lopping of tree branches for purpose of sighting. (ii) If, however, investigations and surveys involve clearing of forest area or felling of trees, prior permission of the Central Government is mandatory. (iii) Notwithstanding the above, survey, investigation and exploration shall not be carried out in wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and sample plots demarcated by the Forest Department without obtaining the prior approval of the Central Government, whether or not felling of trees is involved. (iv) The work of actual construction would however, fully attract the provisions of the Act and prior clearance of the Central Government must be obtained even if such work does not require felling of trees. (v) It is clarified that the permission to survey, exploration or prospection would not ipso facto imply any commitment on the part of the Central Government for diversion of forest land.