Forest Conservation Act 1980

Forest Conservation

• The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, recognizes the rights of forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers over the forest areas inhabited by them and provides a framework for according the same.
• The Forest Conservation Act 1980 was enacted to help conserve the country's forests. It strictly restricts and regulates the de-reservation of forests or use of forest land for non-forest purposes without the prior approval of Central Government. To this end the Act lays down the pre-requisites for the diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes.
• The Indian Forest Act, 1927 consolidates the law relating to forests, the transit of forest-produce and the duty leviable on timber and other forest-produce.

Act

• State/Union Territory Minor Forest Produce (Ownership of Forest Dependent Community) Act, 2005 - Draft
  
• Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, amended 1988.
  
• The Indian Forest Act, 1927.
  

Rules

• G.S.R.23(E) - Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003.
  
• G.S.R.719 - Forest (Conservation) Rules, 1981, amended 1992.
  

Guidelines

1. Guidelines dated 05.02.2013: Diversion of fo rest land for non-forest purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 - ensuring compliance of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Trad itional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
2. Guidelines dtd. 01.02.13: Guidelines for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980- Submission of proposals to obtain approval for diversion of entire forest land located within the mining lease and grant of environment clearance to mining projects.
3. Guidelines dtd. 01.02.13: General approval under section-2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for diversion of forest land for creation of critical public utility infrastructure by Government Departments involving not more than 5.00 hectares of forest land in each case in 60 Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts-reg.
4. Guidelines dtd. 13.02.12: Guidelines for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 - Non-availabality of forest land for creation of compensatory afforestation.
5. Report of the Committee constituted under Chairmanship of the Secretary, Environment and Forests to formulate objective parameters for identification of inviolate forest areas. - reg.
6. Guidelines dtd. 12.07.12: Guidelines for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
7. Guidelines dtd. 08.07.11: Submission of Geo-referenced digital data for applications under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
8. Guidelines dtd. 03.11.10: General Approval under section-2 of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 to LWE affected districts for diversion of forest land for certain activities to be carried out by the Government Department involving not more than 2.00 ha offorest land-reg.
9. Guidelines dtd. 19.08.10: Guidelines for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 - clarification regarding forest areas outside National 'Park / sanctuary but within 10 km radius from the boundary - reg.
10. Guidelines for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 - General approval Under Section 2 of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, thereof.
11. General approval under Section-2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for diversion of forest land for creation of critical public utility infrastructure by Government Departments involving not more than 5.00 hectares of forest land in each case in 60 Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts-reg.
12. Guidelines for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 -Modification in para 4.4 and 2.2 (iii) thereof.
13. Guidelines for re-diversion of forest land under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
14. General approval under Section-2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for diversion of forest land for creation of critical public utility infrastructure by Government Departments involving not more than 5.00 ha of forest land in each case in 60 Left Wing Extremism affected districts - reg.
15. General approval under Section-2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for diversion of forest land for creation of critical public utility infrastructure by Government Departments involving not more than 5.00 ha of forest land in each case in 60 Left Wing Extremism affected districts - reg.
16. Guidelines for diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 - for stipulating the norms for Survey and Investigation (Prospecting of ores) on forest land.
17. Diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 - ensuring compliance of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006.
    
18. Guidelines for diversion of forestland for non-forestry purposes under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 - for stipluating the norms for Survey and Investigation (Prospecting of ores) on forestland.
    
19. Submission of Geo-referenced digital data for applications under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
    
20. General approval under Section-2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for diversion of forest land for creation of critical public utility infrastructure by Government Departments involving not more than 5.00 ha of forest land in each case in 60 Left Wing Extremism affected districts -reg
    
21. Revision of para 4.4 of the guidelines on Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. (Withdrawal note)
    
22. Revision of para 4.4 of the guidelines on Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
    
23. No.5-5/86-FC, [25/11/1994] - Guidelines for diversion of forest lands for non-forest purpose under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
    
24. No. 2-1/2003-FC. Revision of Para 4.4 of the Guidelines on Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 regarding projects involving Forest as well as Non-forest Lands.