FOREST CONSERVATION ACT (1980)

(Central Act No.69 of 1980)

An Act to provide for the conservation of forests and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

Deforestation causes ecological imbalance and leads to environmental deterioration. Deforestation had been taking place on a large scale in the country and it had caused widespread concern.

2.    With a view to checking further deforestation, the President promulgated on the 25th October, 1980 the Forest (Conservation) Ordinance, 1980. The Ordinance made the prior approval of the Central Government necessary for de-reservation of reserved forest and for use of forest land for non-forest purposes. Ordinance also provided for the constitution of an advisory Committee to advise the Central Government with regard to grant of such approval.

3.   The Bill seeks to replace the aforesaid ordinance.

Be it enacted by Parliament in the Thirty-first year of the Republic of India as follows:-