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Indian Forest Policy and Law

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India is one of the few countries which has a forest policy since 1894. It was revised in 1952 and again in 1988. The main plank of the forest policy is protection, conservation and development of forests. Its aims are

1. Maintenance of environmental stability through preservation and restoration of ecological balance
2. Conservation of natural heritage
3. Check on soil erosion and denudation in catchments areas of rivers lakes and reservoirs
4. Check on extension of sand dunes in desert areas of Rajasthan and along coastal tracts
5. Substantial increase in forest tree cover through massive afforestation and social forestry programmes
6. Steps to meet requirements of fuel wood, fodder, minor forest produce and soil timber of rural and tribal populations
7. Increase in productivity of forest to meet the national need
8. Encouragement to efficient utilization of forest produce and optimum substitution of wood and
9. Steps to create massive peoples movement with involvement of women to achieve the objectives and minimize pressure on existing forest.

As forestry has undergone many conceptual changes since the adoption of Indian Forest Act, 1927, it was decided to bring suitable amendments to this Act. The Ministry of Environment and forests has constituted the national forest commission on 7 February 2003 to review the working of Forest and Wildlife Sector.

The tenure of the commission is of two years. A national forestry action programme (NFAP) has also been formulated as a comprehensive strategic long-term plan for the next 20 years. The objective of the national forestry action programme to bring one-third of the area of the country under tree/forest cover and to arrest deforestation.

Under the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, prior approval of the Central Government is required for diversion of forest lands for non-forest purposes. The regional chief conservators of forests are empowered to decide cases on diversion of forestland for non-forestry purpose up to the extent of five hectares except mining and regularization of encroachment.

They have also been empowered to examine cases involving forestland from five hectares to 20 hectares in consultation with the State Advisory Group. The government has notified forest (conservation) rules 2003 to supersede the rules made in 1981.

In 1990, the government issued guidelines to involve the village communication in the development and protection of degraded forests on the basis of their taking a share of the usufruct from such areas.

The concept of joint forest management (JFM) was accordingly initiated. The joint forest management programme was pursued vigorously and as a result JFM resolution ha snow been adopted in all the 28 states. 84,632 joint forest management committees have been formed and 17.33 million hectares forest areas have been brought under joint forest management Programme.

About 85.28 lakh families are involved in the programme all over the country.

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Tags: aims of law, Forest law of india, Forest Policy of india, joint forest management, national forest action programme, tree