Source: The post is based on the article “LS passes Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill” published in The Hindu on 27th July 2023
What is the News?
Lok Sabha has passed the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill. The Bill was introduced to amend the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
What are the key provisions of the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill,2023?
The Bill amends the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 to make it applicable to certain types of land. These include land notified as a forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 or in government records after the 1980 Act came into effect. The Act will not be applicable for land converted to non-forest use before December 12, 1996.
It also exempts certain types of land from the purview of the Act. These include land within 100 km of India’s border needed for national security projects, small roadside amenities, and public roads leading to a habitation.
The state government requires prior approval of the central government to assign any forest land to a private entity. The Bill extends this to all entities, and allows the assignment to be made on terms and conditions specified by the central government.
The Act specifies some activities that can be carried out in forests, such as establishing check posts, fencing, and bridges. The Bill also allows running zoos, safaris and eco-tourism facilities.
What are the objections raised against the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill,2023?
Firstly, the amendments “diluted” the Supreme Court’s 1996 judgement in the Godavarman case that extended protection to wide tracts of forests, even if they were not recorded as forests.
Secondly, there were objections to the Act’s new name — Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, translated as Forest (Conservation and Augmentation) Act, instead of the existing Forest (Conservation) Act — saying it was “non-inclusive” and left out many among the “(non-Hindi speaking) population in south India and in the northeast”.
Thirdly, there are fears that large parcels of forest land near the borders would no longer be protected.
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