Prominent legislation — The Forest Conservation Act (1980) The act was passed in response to the quick rate of deforestation and degradation of forest lands, and aims to enforce strict controls on the use of forest areas and create sustainable management of natural resources.

A key element of the Act is its mandate for central government accord for diversion of forest land to non-forest use. These include mining, industrial, and infrastructure activities. The approval process is intended to assess the environmental impact of any individual proposed use of the land, and to preserve such land from any other detrimental usage.

The Act also directs the initiation of compensatory afforestation schemes. For every diverted non-forest land we settle, we need to make the entire area of the land afforested. Also, the funds are generated from those who wanted to utilize the forest lands, and spends for the activity of afforestation and conservation of forest.

Collaboration of various departments — Another key component of the Forest Conservation Act is inter-departmental cooperation. Also Read:Environmentalists Understand Why Govt’s New Rules on Commercial Tree Felling are Brittle, But is it Safe to Go Green?To enable effective implementation and monitoring of forest conservation measures, it fosters a partnership between the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and state forest departments.

The Act has played a crucial role in curbing deforestation and encouraging sustainable land use practices. But there are significant limitations regarding enforcement, compensatory measures and the development versus conservation balance. Nonetheless, the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 has remained instrumental in India’s quest to conserve its forest ecosystems and biodiversity.