<p>The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023, which aims to exclude territory within 100 km of the nation’s borders from the scope of conservation regulations and allowing the establishment of zoos, safaris, and eco-tourism facilities in forest regions, was discussed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.</p>
<p>The Lok Sabha approved the measure last month.<img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-107543″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/theindiaprint.com-the-forest-conservation-amendment-bill-being-debated-in-the-rajya-sabha-download-71.jpg” alt=”” width=”1270″ height=”711″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/theindiaprint.com-the-forest-conservation-amendment-bill-being-debated-in-the-rajya-sabha-download-71.jpg 300w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/theindiaprint.com-the-forest-conservation-amendment-bill-being-debated-in-the-rajya-sabha-download-71-150×84.jpg 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 1270px) 100vw, 1270px” /></p>
<p>Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav stated that between 1950 and 1980, when the Congress-led government was in power, nearly 45 lakh hectares of land were diverted in the nation. He then introduced the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023 for consideration and passage.</p>
<p>The bill’s name has been altered to Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, according to BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, and a prologue has been inserted.</p>
<p>According to the provisions of the bill, up to 10 hectares of land can be acquired in border regions, such as those within a 100 km boundary of the Line of Actual Control and Line of Control, if a project is declared to have strategic importance and concern national security.</p>
<p>However, he asserted that the property will be purchased in accordance with national government regulations.</p>
<p>Additionally, he continued, there is a mechanism to purchase up to 5 hectares of property in places with a history of left-wing extremism.</p>
<p>Prashanta Nanda of the BJD applauded the legislation but said that the Supreme Court’s 1995 ruling on the concept of forests should be followed since many excellent forest lands that are not declared nor listed as forests in official records would now be diverted and destroyed.</p>
<p>Forest land that is intended to be utilized for the development of key linear projects for national significance or security within 100 km of international boundaries, the Line of Control, or the Line of Actual Control will also be exempted under the terms of the law.</p>
<p>Additionally, it exempts land up to 10 hectares that is intended to be used for building infrastructure related to security, or land that is intended to be used for building defense-related projects, camps for paramilitary forces, or public utility projects, as determined by the central government, not to exceed five hectares in areas affected by left-wing extremism.</p>
<p>The measure also aims to provide the central government the authority to establish by order the criteria and circumstances under which any survey, including seismic survey, shall not be regarded as serving a non-forest purpose.</p>
<p>An essential key legislation for the nation’s forest protection is the Forest (protection) Act of 1980. It stipulates that prior approval from the central government is required for the de-reservation of reserved forests, use of forest land for non-forest uses, assignment of forest property to a private company via a lease or other legal means, and removal of naturally growing trees for reforestation.</p>
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