👮🏼‍♀️ Forest Legislation

Indian Forest Act, 1927 & National Forest Policy 1988 & Others

Indian Forest Act, 1927

The Indian Forest Act, 1927 provides legal framework for management of forests in the country.
This act regulates the movement of forest produce, and duty leviable forest produce.
It also describes forest offences, penalties for violation of the provisions of the act.
It describes the procedure to declare an area as Reserved, Protect and Village Forest.
The implementation of the Forest Act is primarily the responsibility of concerned State/UT Governments.
In some States, the Act is applicable as it is, while some of the States have enacted their own which in essence, are the adopted versions of the Indian Forest Act 1927.

These are most restricted forests and are constituted by the State Government on any forest land or wasteland which is the property of the Government.
In reserved forests, local people are prohibited, unless specifically allowed by a Forest Officer during settlement.

The State Government is empowered to constitute any land other than reserved forests as protected forests over which the Government has proprietary rights and the power to issue rules regarding the use of such forests.
This power has been used to establish State control over trees, whose timber, fruit, or other non-wood products have revenue-raising potential.

Village forests are the one in which the State Government may assign to ‘any village community the rights of Government to or over any land which has been constituted a reserved forest’.

The first National Forest Policy of Independent India was promulgated in 1952. However, since then many new developments had taken place and concepts of forest management changed. The emphasis was gradually shifting from production forestry to conversion and protection of the forest resources
The current National Forest Policy was enunciated in 1988 with the principal aim to ensure environmental stability and maintenance of ecological balance which are vital for sustenance of all life forms and the derivation of direct economic benefit must be subordinated to this principal aim.
The National Forest Policy, 1988 envisages one-third (33%) of nation’s area to be under forest and tree cover in plains. ^{IBPS 2018}
In the hills and in mountainous regions, the aim is to maintain two-third (66%) of the area under such cover in order to prevent erosion and land degradation and to ensure the stability of the fragile eco-system.
The Policy recognizes symbiotic relationship between tribal people & forests and calls for, to associate tribal people in protection, regeneration & development of forests as well as to provide gainful employment to people living in and around the forest.

This Act provides for the protection of the country’s wild animals, birds, and plant species, in order to ensure environmental and ecological security.
Among other things, the Act lays down restrictions on hunting many animal species.

The Act provides for creating the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau).

India’s richness in biological resources and indigenous knowledge relating to them is well recognized.
The legislation aims at regulating access to biological resources so as to ensure equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use.
The Biological Diversity Bill was introduced in the Parliament in 2000 and was passed in 2002.
National Biodiversity Board - New Delhi
National Biodiversity Authority – Chennai

It was a non-violent agitation which originated in Uttar Pradesh’s Chamoli district (now Uttarakhand) in 1973.
The name of the movement ‘chipko’ comes from the word ’embrace’, as the villagers hugged the trees and encircled them to prevent being hacked.
Sunderlal Bahuguna (1927-2021): ^{IBPS AFO 2012}
- Initiated the chipko movement to guard the trees on the Himalayan slopes.
- Known for coining the Chipko slogan ‘ecology is permanent economy’
- After the Chipko movement in the 1970s, he gave the message across the globe that ecology and ecosystem are more important. He was of the opinion that ecology and economy should go together.