The Centre has given final clearance to Indira Sagar project on Godavari river. The completion of project will provide Irrigation facilities besides generating hydro power. Highly placed sources told AIR that the approval has been granted after the Forest Advisory Committee appointed by the Environment and Forest Ministry examined the project. The clearance was pending with the ministry for quite some time now. It involves diversion of 3472 hectares of notified forest area and over 258 hectares of forest for the Polavaram Project. The sources said that the final approval is based on the clear understanding that government of Andhra Pradesh will take all steps to ensure that no forest land of Orissa and Chattisgarh is submerged. It is also based on the assurance given by the Andhra Pradesh government that there are no forest rights to be settled under the scheduled tribes and other forest dwellers act. Official sources said that the Environment and Forest ministry will carry out strict monitoring of all the conditions under which clearance has been given for the project. AIR correspondent reports that the water reservoir created under the project has to be declared as a reserved forest and felling of any tree has to be stopped besides organising any labour camp in the forest area. The project was a bone up contention between the pro and anti Telangana leaders in Andhra Pradesh. While the Pro Telangana leaders are in favour of reducing the height of the Indira Sagar Project, the other side is opposing such a move. Several NGOs have also urged the government to take all possible steps to ensure that the people living in villages around the project do not suffer and ecological balance is maintained at all costs.