Government introduces Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill which seeks to fast-track strategic and security related projects

NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday introduced the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha. The Bill, seeking exempting certain categories of lands from the purview of the green law to fast-track “strategic and security related projects of national importance”, was subsequently sent to a joint committee of both the Houses of Parliament for its detailed examination.
The joint committee which will scrutinise the Bill consists of 19 Lok Sabha members, 10 Rajya Sabha members and two members to be nominated by the Lok Sabha speaker. The Committee is expected to submit its report to the Lok Sabha by the last day of the first week of the next Session.
The Bill was introduced by environment minister Bhupender Yadav amid a din as the Opposition members continued its protests over the Adani-Hindenburg issues. The Lok Sabha was then adjourned for the day after sending the Bill to the joint committee. The House will resume its proceedings after 'Ram Navmi' break on Monday.

The Bill, introduced by Yadav, seeks to clarify the scope of applicability of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 on various lands so as to “remove ambiguities and bring clarity”.
The government in the ‘statement of objects and reasons’ of the Bill said that exempting certain categories of lands from the purview of the 1980 Act will also “encourage plantation on non-forest land”, and provide access to small establishments and habitations on the side of public roads and railways.
Arguing needs for amendments in the 1980 Act, the government noted that new challenges relating to ecological, social and environmental developments, such as, mitigating the impact of climate change, achieving the national targets of ‘net zero’ emission by 2070 and maintaining or enhancing the forest carbon stock have emerged at national and international levels.
The Bill, therefore, also seeks to broaden the horizons of the 1980 Act through amendments, keeping in view India's aim to increase forest cover for creation of a carbon sink of additional 2.5-3.0 billion tons of CO2 equivalent by 2030. It also proposes to insert a preamble to the Act to encompass the country's rich tradition of preserving forests, their bio-diversity and tackling climate change challenges within its ambit.
It provides for terms and conditions including the condition of planting trees to compensate for felling of trees undertaken on the lands while considering the proposed relaxations under the Act.
The proposed Bill also empowers the central government to specify, by order, the terms and conditions subject to which any survey, such as, reconnaissance, prospecting, investigation or exploration including seismic survey, shall not be treated as non-forest purpose.
The Lok Sabha member from Kollam, N K Premachandran vehemently opposed the introduction of the Bill, saying "when the House is not in order, it is not fair on the part of the government to introduce such an important Bill".
The government, however, preferred to send the Bill to the joint committee for its scrutiny even as there was no demand from the opposition to do it.