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FOREST CONSERVATION ACT NEWS

The Aravalli hills have long been plagued by illegal mining and real estate encroachment. (Tashi Tobgyal)

How Haryana’s new ‘dictionary meaning of forest’ will affect the Aravallis

August 21, 2025 6:53 pm

The Haryana government claims that its definition is aligned with ‘judicial expectations’. Environmentalists, however, criticise it for being too narrow and potentially excluding many ecologically sensitive areas in the state

Forests: Montang Valley, located 65 km away from Agartala, Tripura.

SC directs govts to follow 'broad' definition of forests: How they are defined, what law says on conservation

February 21, 2024 8:28 pm

The Supreme Court has said that 'forests' should be defined in accordance with a judgment it passed in 1996. This assertion questions the Govt's argument for amending the Forest Conservation Act.

Over 5,000 hectares of Karnataka forest diverted since 2008: Govt data

August 08, 2023 6:20 pm

Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav informed the Lok Sabha that across India, 305,945 hectares of forest land has been diverted under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 from 2008-09 to 2022-23 through 17,301 projects.

Forest Conservation Bill: An encompassing green

August 07, 2023 9:47 am

It responds to aspirations in a changing country, lays the ground for enhancing green areas outside forests and making forests more productive

Lok Sabha, Lok Sabha bills, Forest Conservation amendment bill, Forest Conservation Act, Lok Sabha passes forest conservation amendment bill, Lok Sabha news, Parliament news Indian Express

Express View on Forest Conservation Act amendments: Missing the woods

July 28, 2023 7:31 am

It requires extensive discussion. Rajya Sabha should take all concerns on board.

Ravi Chellam writes: Why protecting India's forests should be a part of national security

July 28, 2023 6:18 pm

Amendments to Forest Conservation Act threaten to erode India's fragile ecosystems

Aravalli hills: Environmentalists demand scrapping Forest Conservation Bill as Parliament session begins

July 20, 2023 11:03 pm

According to environmentalists, if the new amendment Bill is passed the bulk of Aravallis can potentially be sold, diverted, cleared, and exploited without any regulatory oversight.

Jagdeep Dhankhar, Jairam ramesh, forest conservation, Forest Conservation Act, Indian Express, India news, current affairs

‘Bill sent to joint panel, devalues Standing panel’

March 30, 2023 5:49 am

In his letter, Ramesh argued that the Bill falls “fairly and squarely” in the domain of the Standing Committee and sought Dhankhar's intervention to “prevent its complete emasculation”.

Forest or not: Centre vs Chhattisgarh on transfer of 300 sq km for industry

August 25, 2022 6:36 am

The move has now run into a hurdle — even as paperwork is underway for transferring more land in other parts of the state.

Forest Act not applicable to land owned by user agencies, says Union environment ministry; conservationists raise alarm

November 03, 2021 6:24 pm

Senior forest department officials opine that the decision came in the wake of resentment by public sector bodies like railways and NHAI whose projects get delayed in taking prior government approval and forest clearances.