The Supreme Court of India issued a significant interim order on Monday, barring the Centre and state governments from taking any actions that might reduce the nation’s forest cover. This decision comes amidst a series of petitions challenging recent amendments to the forest conservation laws enacted in 2023.
Presiding over the case, Justices B R Gavai and K Vinod Chandran emphasized the court’s commitment to preserving forest land. “We will not permit anything which leads to a reduction of forest area. Until further orders, no steps will be taken by the Union of India or any state that will lead to a reduction of forest land unless compensatory land is provided,” declared the bench.
The amendments in question, according to advocates involved in the case, considerably alter the definition of ‘forest,’ potentially excluding nearly 1.99 lakh square kilometers of land from protection under the previous forest conservation framework. This redefinition could open up these areas to non-forest uses, which has sparked significant public and legal backlash.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, informed the court that a formal response to the applications would be filed within three weeks. She also noted that a status report would be submitted before the next hearing scheduled for March 4.
Last February, the Supreme Court raised concerns that the amended law left a substantial area previously classified as forest land vulnerable to exploitation. The court has since taken a stringent stance on any new developments such as zoos or safaris on such lands, requiring Supreme Court approval for any such proposals.
Further directions were issued to state governments and Union Territories to compile and submit details of forest lands within their jurisdictions. The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has been tasked to publicly display this information, enhancing transparency and regulatory oversight.
This interim order also reaffirms the definition of ‘forest’ from the landmark 1996 TN Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India case, underscoring the legal breadth of what constitutes forest land.
