Parliament to decide fate of proposed amendments to the Forest Conservation Act

A Parliamentary committee has endorsed the proposed amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in its entirety. The committee, which was set up to examine the amendments, has submitted its report to the government.

The proposed amendments have been met with criticism from environmental groups, who say that they will dilute the protection of forests in India. The amendments would allow for the use of forest land for infrastructure projects without prior clearance from the central government, and would also remove restrictions on the use of forest land for mining and quarrying.

The committee has defended the amendments, saying that they are necessary to “remove ambiguities” in the law and to “bring clarity about the applicability of the Act in various lands.” The committee has also said that the amendments will not have a significant impact on the overall protection of forests in India.

The report of the committee is expected to be tabled in Parliament in the upcoming monsoon session. It remains to be seen whether the proposed amendments will be passed by Parliament.

Some of the key changes proposed in the amendments:

• The definition of “forest land” would be expanded to include areas that are currently not considered to be forests, such as land that is used for grazing or for non-forest purposes.
• The requirement for prior clearance from the central government for the use of forest land for non-forest purposes would be removed.
• Restrictions on the use of forest land for mining and quarrying would be relaxed.
• The government would be allowed to declare any area to be a “strategic area” for national security purposes, and would not need to obtain prior clearance from the central government for the use of forest land in such areas.

Environmental groups have criticized the proposed amendments, saying that they will lead to the destruction of forests in India. They argue that the amendments will make it easier for the government to use forest land for commercial purposes, and that they will not do enough to protect the rights of tribal communities who live in forests.

The government has defended the proposed amendments, saying that they are necessary to promote economic development and to protect national security. The government has also said that the amendments will not have a significant impact on the overall protection of forests in India. However, it remains to be seen whether the proposed amendments will be passed by Parliament.