Editorial: Bulldozing the bills

Rush to pass Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill-2023 raises questions over Centre's conservation efforts

Striking a balance between industrial development and environmental protection is a challenging task and requires sound policies and deft handling. The way the Centre hurried through the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill-2023 in the Lok Sabha has raised questions over its commitment to the conservation efforts. Several provisions of the Bill remain contentious as the government has failed to address the concerns voiced by environmental experts. In fact, over 400 ecologists and scientists had written to the government and MPs last week, asking them not to table the Bill during the monsoon session. The legislation seeks to exempt land within 100 km of India’s borders from the purview of conservation laws and permit the setting up of projects of national importance, zoos, safaris and eco-tourism facilities in forest areas. Diversion of forests for the construction of roads, railway lines or projects of strategic nature near the country’s international borders would not require clearance once the Bill becomes law. While national security is non-negotiable, concerns over the de-regulation proposed in the Bill to fast-track military projects require wide-ranging deliberations, especially because most frontier zones of the country are also among its most ecologically fragile. The primary criticism is that these amendments do not really contribute to regenerating natural forests, but rather incentivise afforestation for commercial use. Some provisions of the Bill are also being seen as a potential threat to the Aravalli ranges, which are yet to be notified as deemed forests in some States.

The new legislation seeks to redefine “forests” — an attempt being viewed by experts as a prelude to opening up forest tracts for infrastructure and development work that may cause lasting damage to the environment. Loss of homes, incomes, jobs and socio-ecological futures are certainly going to happen with the repurposing of these lands. Forests have been tinkered with or destroyed for the purposes of mining and infrastructure work ever since the Indian economy opened up over three decades ago. In the last few years, the government has been trying to encourage the private sector and private landowners to open their lands as tree plots. The recently amended Forest Conservation Rules, 2022, calls upon private and institutional entities to enter into accredited compensatory afforestation schemes. The Bill creates a framework by which forest conservation laws do not affect the rolling out of large projects, most of which are being implemented by private corporations or through public-private partnerships. At present, nearly 24% of the area is under forest and tree cover. India has committed to increasing this to 33% and adding a carbon sink of 2.5 billion to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide this way, by 2030, as part of its international climate commitments. The new legislation could have been an opportunity to necessitate the recognition of forest rights and partnership of forest-dwelling communities in realising the climate mitigation targets.

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