• UGI USER
  • Apr 20, 2024
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SC AFFIRMS FORESTS AS NATIONAL ASSET, VITAL FOR FINANCIAL WEALTH.

Why in the news?

The Supreme Court declares forests as national assets, emphasising their financial value and protective role amid controversies over forest legislation.

Highlights of the Judgment :

  • The Supreme Court declares forests in India as a national asset and a significant contributor to the country’s financial wealth.
  • Bench led by Justice M.M. Sundresh emphasises the crucial role of forests, stating “it is the spirit of the forest that moves the earth.”
  • Comes amidst controversy over the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act of 2023, criticised for facilitating encroachments and commercial exploitation of forests.
  • Court orders a probe against forest officials for conflicting affidavits in a case involving the allocation of forest land to a private entity.
source:slideserve
About Forest Conservation Act, 1980:

  • Enacted in 1980 to regulate deforestation and forest product transportation.
  • Requires prior Central Government approval for forest land diversion.
  • Mandates protection of forests regardless of classification, per 1996 Godavarman judgement.
  • Recent 2023 amendment aims to address deemed forest concerns.

Concerns and Recent Amendment:

  • Varying Definitions of Forests:
  • States interpret ‘forests’ differently, leading to diverse definitions based on surveys and expert reports.
  • Estimates of deemed forests range from 1% to 28% of India’s official forest area.

Recent Amendment (Forest Conservation Amendment Act, 2023):

  • Passed in July-August 2023 to address concerns regarding deemed forests.
  • Aims to define scope of forest land under the Act and exempt certain categories of land from its provisions.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/forests-a-national-asset-and-a-major-contributor-to-financial-wealth-sc-judgment/article68083798.ece#:~:text=The%20Supreme%20Court%20has%20asserted,Bench%20headed%20by%20Justice%20M.M.