The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, which was approved by Parliament on August 2, is scheduled to take effect on December 1, as indicated by a notification from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). Once enacted, this law permits the use of forest land in locations like Idukki for diverse purposes beyond just human habitation. The amendment includes provisions allowing the utilization of forest land for non-forest activities, which encompass linear infrastructure projects like railways, roads, and strategic border constructions, all without the need for prior permission.
Salient features
•Only those lands that were notified as “forests” under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, or Forest Conservation Act, 1980, or any other relevant law or were recorded as “forests” in official records will be acknowledged as ‘forests’.
•Infrastructure projects, such as roads and highways, could be constructed on forest land within 100 km of the country’s border.
•State government should get the Centre’s approval before allotting forest land to private or public institutions.
•De-reserved forest land that was not notified as “forest” before 1980, and forest land converted before December 12, 1996, have been exempted from the Conservation Act.
•Check-posts, fences, and bridges would be permitted on forest land.
•Zoological parks, jungle safari, and eco-tourism facilities could be established within the forests.
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