In order to check rapid deforestation
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The Forest Conservation Act 1980 was enacted to help conserve the country’s forests. It strictly restricts and regulates the de-reservation of forests or use of forest land for non-forest purposes without the prior approval of Central Government. To this end the Act lays down the pre-requisites for the diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes.
This powerful legislation has, to a large extent, curtailed the indiscriminate logging and release of forestland for non-forestry purposes by state governments. While the federal government imposed such strict restrictions, it did not simultaneously evolve a mechanism to compensate state governments for loss of timber logging revenues. This anomaly coupled with increasing pressure for land due to a burgeoning population has generated considerable resentment within state governments resulting in growing pressure to dilute the restrictive provisions of the Act. The Supreme Court of India has currently imposed a complete ban on the release of forestland for non-forestry activities without the prior approval of the federal government.
It states that no project should be undertaken in the vicinity of :-
- Natonal Parks,Wildlife Sanctuaries and Core areas of the Biosphere Reserves.
- Scenic landscapes,areas of geomorphological significance,unique and represantative biomes and eco-systems,heritage sites/structures and areas of cultural heritage and importance.
- Fragile eco-systems such as mountains,areas rich in coral formations as well as marine,coastal,desert,wetland,riverine and island eco-systems.
- Areas rich in biological diversity,genepool and other natural resources.