Explained: Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023

The Lok Sabha passed the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 in the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament. 

The Joint Committee on the Forest (JPC) cleared all amendments proposed in the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, adopting its report on the Bill earlier this month. The Bill seeks to amend the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, which regulates the extraction of forest resources including timber and other minerals by industries and local communities.

According to the government, the Bill is aimed at clarifying the scope of applicability of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, on various lands. It seeks to broaden the horizons of the Act to boost the country's forest cover to create a carbon sink of additional 2.5-3.0 billion tons of CO2 equivalent by 2030.

The Bill proposes to exempt certain categories of lands from the purview of the Act, to fast-track projects of national importance.

The amendment proposes to exempt the need for prior forest clearance to strip forests up to 0.1 hectares located alongside a railway track or a public road maintained by the government. The provisions shall also be applicable to tree plantations on private lands, not categorised as forests. Clearing forest on five hectares of land for the construction of defence or public utility projects in a Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected area will also not require any prior permission.

It lays down terms and conditions for the plantation of trees as compensation for clearing trees on the lands while considering the proposed relaxations under the Act.

The Bill seeks to cover more activities for the cause of conservation of forests and wildlife into the array of forestry activities while bringing uniformity in the applicability of the provisions of the Act for government and private entities.

The Bill proposes to empower the Centre to specify the terms and conditions subject to which a survey such as reconnaissance, prospecting, investigation or exploration including seismic survey shall not be treated as non-forest purpose.