The central government will try to get Lok Sabha’s approval for the passage of the Forest Conservation Amendment Bill, 2023 Wednesday.
Earlier, more than 100 former civil servants, members of the Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), have written to all members of parliament in India expressing their concern with the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
This tendency of liberally giving away forest land for non-forest purposes, is now sought to be further strengthened through the FCA Amendment Bill.
This Bill allows forest land, other than in protected areas, to be used for several non-forest purposes, viz. (i) defence related purposes within 100 kms. of the border of India, (ii) stretches of land alongside railway lines and highways; (iii) zoos and safaris owned by the government or any authority; (iv) eco-tourism facilities; (v) silvicultural operations (to enhance forest growth); and, most worryingly, (vi) any other purpose specified by the central government.
The proposed legislation aims to amend the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, which was brought in to prevent exploitation of India’s forest reserves and gave powers to the Central government to compensate adequately for any land used for non-forest purposes.
The Act also covers that land, which is not officially classified as forest in either central or state, government records.
The Bill, which had generated a lot of controversy, was sent to a joint committee of Parliament, whose report was presented in the Lok Sabha July 20, the first day of the monsoon session.
Several opposition members from Congress, Trinamool Congress and DMK had sent dissent notes to the joint committee on the Bill, expressing concern over the provision in the proposed legislation which says that an area of land can be exempted from the legal framework for a quick accomplishment of any political and security-related projects that are of national interest.
Meanwhile, the government will also introduce the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 in the Lower House.
The Union Cabinet July 12 had cleared the Bill, which will allow the private sector to bid for mining critical minerals like Lithium.
In addition to this, the government will introduce the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha on this day.
The Jammu Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 will also be introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The bill aims to reserve three seats in Jammu Kashmir assembly, two of whom will be nominated by the LG of the region.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order, 1956, will also be introduced today in the Lower House. With Inputs from IANS