Forest act amendment 1-2

Any forest area can be declared as conservation area

focus on climate change and forest restoration. 

Create new class of commercial forest

Involve private sector in production forest. 

Comprehensive review with expanded definitions and inclusion of modern equipments. 

Forest development cess 10%

Increased role of state and federalism. 

Over Centralisation of authority and power of state officials.

Centre can declare any area as reserved Forest. State government and forest settlement officers are given more power than gram Sabha.

Restriction of pasture or forest produce by forest settlement officer if he  Is not satisfied. He can also decide if present individual or collective rights are inconsistent with conservation of reserved Forest and can end those rights.

Fso  can acquire tribal land and compensate them under land acquisition act 2013. Gram Sabha ignored and decision making power for bureau Chrissy.

New section included 20 2A where central and state government can acquire individual and community rights over forest if they are inconsistent with conservation of reserved Forest.  

Centre and state government can lease reserved forest land. Provides for creation of village forests from any forest land or wasteland managed by joint Forest Management committee. These committees will function in consultation with grama sabha not their approval.Under Forest rights act 2006 the approval is mandatory therefore contradiction.  

Production forests and admire private sector will allow commercialisation of forests and destroy ecology. Propose to restrict shifting cultivation. State government can manage forests under public interest which is wide powers.  Allows the use of force by forest officer including shooting.

 Section 66A  wide powers for searching any place if they believe forest office is committed.  

Creation of private forests and National Forest board which excludes gram Sabha.  Also  centralisation commercialisation and criminalisation. 

Collective punishment for individual crimes in forest like forest fire is retained.