Forest conservation act, 1980

Forest conservation act, 1980
This act provides conservation of forests and related aspects. This act covers all types

of forests such as reserved forest, protected forest and any forested land. This act was

enacted in 1980 and it aims to arrest deforestation.
Important features of this act are:
-The reserved forests shall not be diverted or dereserved without prior permission of the

central government.
-The land that has been notified or registered or forest land may not be used for non-

forest purposes.
-Any illegal non-forest activity within a forest area can be immediately stopped under

the act.
Important amendments:
-Forest departments are forbidden to assign any forest land for re-afforestation
-Clearance of any forest land of naturally grown trees for the purpose of re-

afforestation is forbidden.
-Diversion of forest land for non-forest uses is a cognizable offence and the violator is

punishable under law.