The Supreme Court, through Justices BR Gavai and K Vinod Chandran, instructed the Union and state governments to not diminish forest land without providing compensatory land. The court stated it would not allow forest area reduction and halted the Centre and states from reducing forest areas pending further directives.
Amid legal challenges, the Supreme Court’s ruling on the 2023 amendments to the Forest Conservation Act is contested. Petitioners argue that these changes could weaken India’s forest governance and contradict the Court’s previous decision by narrowing the definition of forest land to be protected.
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan expressed concerns about new rules permitting tree clearance on forest lands for afforestation. The court mandated compensation by providing alternative land for reforestation in cases of urgent forest land use. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati will respond within three weeks, with further hearings set for March 4.
Sankaranarayanan brought up three contentions: that forest lands are being cleared for compensatory afforestation, ex post facto approval is impermissible, and linear projects are exempted under FCA, which is not allowed. Justice Gavai questioned if forest land is used for compensatory afforestation without proper identification. The court emphasized its approval requirement for proposals involving forest lands, like zoos or safaris.
In February 2024, the Supreme Court ordered states and Union Territories to report forest lands following a 1996 judgment. Some states have not complied fully. The Ministry of Environment was tasked to digitize and publish records by April 2024, but this remains pending.
Sources News From Various Digital Platforms, Websites, Journalists, And Agencies.
Leave a Reply