Govt plan to amend Indian Forest Act, 1972

Govt plan to amend Indian Forest Act, 1972

Govt plan to amend Indian Forest Act, 1972

Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has invited Expression of Interest for amendment in the Indian Forest Act, 1927.

The mandate of the Indian Forest Act: IFA 1927 is to consolidate and protect forests or areas with important wildlife, to regulate the movement and transit of forest products, and to levy duties on wood and other forest produce.

Requirement of amendment

  • To review the existing categories of reserved forests, protected forests and unclassified forests. It is to be noted that, all these were classified primarily to serve the colonial interests of revenue generation.
  • IFA lacks focus on fauna, biodiversity and ecological balance.
  • There is a lack of recognition of community protected areas protected by local communities through local knowledge and governance systems.
  • The amendments are in line with the Central Government’s initiative to review the laws enacted by various Ministries/Organisations, so as to make them synergistic with the contemporary requirements.

Purpose of amendment

  • To provide for graded punishment.
  • To remove difficulties in transit and trade of forest products across state or national borders.
  • Encouraging non-government agents/private sector/civil society/individuals to undertake afforestation/plantation, and/or develop/manage private forest on non-forest land.
  • Incorporation of practical legal provisions which have already been incorporated in the State Forest Laws.

Source – The Hindu

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