As per the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, which of the following categories of land is not covered under the provisions of the Act?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Correct Answer: Forest land near international borders for defence projects up to 5 hectares in LWE areas
Explanation
The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, introduced specific exemptions to fast-track strategic national security and public utility infrastructure projects. It explicitly removes certain categories of land from the purview of the parent 1980 Act.
The Act exempts forest land situated within 100 kilometers along international borders, the Line of Control (LoC), and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that is required for the construction of strategic linear projects of national importance or defense-related infrastructure. Separately, for Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas, the exemption applies to public utility infrastructure projects up to 5 hectares, not specific international border defense projects within that size limit as phrased in the incorrect option.
The Act strictly covers and applies its provisions to land notified as forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, and land recorded as forest in government records on or after October 25, 1980. Silvicultural operations (activities related to forest management and tree cultivation) within reserved forests are regulated under the permissible activities of the Act rather than being excluded from its jurisdiction entirely.
Key Points
The 2023 Amendment narrowed the scope of the original 1980 Act to clarify land definitions following the 1996 Supreme Court T.N. Godavarman Thirumulkpad judgment, which had expanded protection to all lands matching the dictionary definition of 'forest.'
Exemptions also extend to land up to 10 hectares intended for security-related infrastructure and up to 0.10 hectares along roads or rail lines to provide access to habitations and roadside amenities.
The main objective of these amendments is to balance ecological conservation goals with India's strategic defense requirements along sensitive frontier zones.
Important Questions and Answers
Question: What is the specific geographic buffer zone width along international borders exempted for strategic national security linear projects under the 2023 Amendment?
Answer: The exemption covers forest land located within 100 kilometers of international borders, LoC, and LAC.
Question: On what exact date did the original Forest (Conservation) Act come into force, which now acts as the benchmark for recorded forest lands?
Answer: The principal Act came into force on October 25, 1980.