ON AUGUST 4, the Parliament passed the controversial amendment to the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, a move that experts warn opens the floodgates for ecological disasters.
Since its inception, the 1980 Act, brought in to regulate the use of forestland for non-forest activities, has undergone eight amendments. The current amendment, though, completely overhauls the Act for the first time by not just changing its name but also opening up large swathes of forestland for different non-forest activities. Most importantly, it narrows the definition of forests in the country.
While Union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav says the exemptions will bring development to tribals and forest-dwelling communities, the fundamental changes to the Act will have a far-reaching impact on forest conservation in the country.
RELUCTANT TO CHANGE
The Centre set the ball rolling on October 2, 2021, when it released a consultation paper inviting comments from the public within 15 days from the date of issue. On July 28, 2022, it issued a draft document of the proposed amendment. Eight months later, on March 29, 2023, the amendment Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha, where it was referred to a joint parliamentary committee. On July 11, the committee approved all the amendments even after receiving dissent from over 400 environmental groups and retired Indian Forest Service officials. The final report by the committee notes that it received 1,309 memoranda and six dissenting notes from Members of Parliament.
Denne historien er fra August 16, 2023-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra August 16, 2023-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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TERMITE TRAP
A common tall grass variety provides a chemical-free option to control termites, highlights the need for mainstreaming local ecological knowledge
CLIMATE'S UNSOLICITED PAYOUT
Rising weather extremes is destabilising the insurance industry, driving up premium prices and pushing insurers out of high-risk markets. The crisis is also spurring re-invention of insurance sector.
NOTHING PSEUDO ABOUT IT
The fibre-rich banana pseudo-stem is a treasure trove of minerals and health benefits
Organic move
After 10,000 farmers in Dantewada district secured Chhattisgarh's first organic certification, the entire district now gears up to transition fully to organic farming
No more a rarity
What has caused widespread outbreak of the rare Guillain-Barré syndrome cases from seven states of the country?
DeepSeek AI model is a sobering idea for India
The Chinese artificial intelligence breakthrough reveals how far behind India is in the race for technological prowess
'Fragile terrain not the cause of tunnel collapse but an excuse'
In November 2023, the under-construction Silkyara Bend-Barkot tunnel in Uttarakhand collapsed, trapping 41 workers under the rubble. The rescue operation in the 4.5 km tunnel lasted 17 days and involved multiple teams. Australian geologist ARNOLD DIX, who is also the president of Switzerland-based International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, as well as an engineer, a barrister and a farmer, assisted in the mission at India's request. Dix has now written a book on the incident. In an interview with ADITYA MISRA, Dix says the mishap was a failure to adapt construction methods to the rock conditions encountered. Excerpts:
BUDGET SQUEEZE
Poised to woo the middle class and tame fiscal deficit, Union Budget 2025-26 cuts corners on key welfare schemes, offers little for climate adaptation and decarbonisation
Decoded script
Genomelndia project creates genomic sequence database of 10,000 Indians, moving a step forward in disease detection and treatment
Introduce layers in poverty measurement
This is with reference to the article \"Convenience of poverty lines\" (16-31 January, 2025). Poverty is not like atmospheric pressure, which can be scaled down with high-precision instruments. It is a matter of deprivation. Poverty is also highly misunderstood. At one extreme, poverty means no food, no clothes, bad health and inadequate shelters; in essence a dearth in common and customary amenities. One can recognise this poverty. But, even if a person's conditions are only a notch above this level, their situation slides through the slick fingers of all the measurement of figures and wielders of statistics.
