New Delhi, Aug 2: The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, which will exempt land within 100 km of the country’s border, that is needed for national security projects, small roadside amenities, and public roads leading to habitation, from the purview of the forest conservation laws.
The bill has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, and, after the President’s concurrence, is set to become a law.
Officials privy to the contents of the bill told Ziraat Times that the new law would essentially bring most of the forest land of Jammu & Kashmir, which fall within 100 kilometers from the country’s external borders, within its purview.
In effect, the law would mean that the Forest land required to be used for national security projects, roadside amenities like fuel stations, restaurants, cafes, etc. and public roads for habitations in critical forest areas would no longer be governed by previous conservation laws.
The amended law also exempts land up to 10 ha, proposed to be used for constructing security-related infrastructure, or the land proposed to be used for constructing defence-related projects, camps for paramilitary forces, or public utility projects as specified by the central government not exceeding five hectares in left-wing extremism affected area, from conservation laws.
The (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, was passed after a brief debate in Rajya Sabha even as the Opposition had walked out from the house earlier.
Introducing the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha for consideration and passage, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav said almost 4.5 million ha of land was diverted in the country between 1950 and 1980 when the Congress-led government was in the country.
The government has defended the bill, arguing that it is necessary to balance the need for development with the need to conserve forests. The government has also said that the bill will be implemented in a way that minimizes the impact on forests.
The Bill requires entities to seek prior permission of the union government for de-reservation of forest land and for use of forest land for other purposes. The government’s permission is also needed to lease forest land to private entities.
The Forest (Conservation) Act, of 1980, which was applied to Jammu & Kashmir in rhe aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370, was a central law governing conservation of forests in the country. It provides de-reservation of reserved forests, use of forest land for non-forest purposes, assigning forest land by way of lease or otherwise to a private entity, and clearing of naturally grown trees for reafforestation requires prior permission of the central government.
