Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023
Source : The Hindu
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Overview
- News in Brief
- How it helps
Why in News ?
A Parliamentary committee, set up to examine proposed amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, has endorsed the amendment Bill in its entirety.
- A number of factors, including industrial demands, agricultural needs, and consumer demand for forest products, have increased pressure on forest land, according to the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests (2019).
News in Brief
- The Bill seeks to amend the pivotal 1980 law which was enacted to ensure that India’s forest land is not wantonly usurped for non-forestry purposes.
- The Act empowers the Centre to require that any forest land diverted for non-forestry purposes be duly compensated.
- It also extends its remit to land which is not officially classified as ‘forest’ in State or Central government records.
Key Features of the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023
- The Bill provides that two types of land will be under the purview of the Act:
- The Bill exempts certain types of land from the provisions of the Act, such as forest land along a rail line or a public road maintained by the government.
- Under the Act, a state government requires prior approval of the central government to assign forest land to any entity not owned or controlled by government.
- In the Bill, this condition is extended to all entities, including those owned and controlled by government.
- It also requires that prior approval be subject to terms and conditions prescribed by the central government.
- The Act restricts the de-reservation of forests or use of forest land for non-forest purposes.
- Such restrictions may be lifted with the prior approval of the central government.
- Non-forest purposes include use of land for cultivating horticultural crops or for any purpose other than reafforestation.
- The Act specifies certain activities that will be excluded from non-forest purposes, meaning that restrictions on the use of forest land for non-forest purposes will not apply.
- The Bill adds more activities to this list such as –
- (i) zoos and safaris under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 owned by the government or any authority, in forest areas other than protected areas,
- (ii) ecotourism facilities,
- (iii) silvicultural operations (enhancing forest growth), and
- (iv) any other purpose specified by the central government.
- The Bill adds that the central government may issue directions for the implementation of the Act to any authority/organisation under or recognized by the center, state, or union territory (UT).
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