Forest Conservation

Rules & regulations » Forest conservation

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

S.No	Title
1.	No.6 of 1991, [22/1/1991] – The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991, amended 1992 (68.51 KB)

Rules

S.No	Title
1.	G.S.R.23(E) – Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003.(178.39 KB)
2.	G.S.R.719 – Forest (Conservation) Rules, 1981, amended 1992.(52.44 KB)
3.	Revised draft Policy on Inspection, Verification, Monitoring and Overall Procedure Relating to Grant of Forest Clearances and Identification of Forests(228.39 KB).

Guidelines

S.No	Title
1.	Guidelines dated 04.07.2014: Diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980—Guidelines regarding management of safety zone in the mining lease – regading.(83.11 KB)
2.	Guidelines dated 04.07.2014: Guidelines issued under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for diversion of forest land for non-forest purpose- Special provision for creation of compensatory afforestation in lieu of forest land diverted for creation of strategic defence projects (including infrastructure and road projects) being taken up in the area located within 100 km aerial distance from of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by any user agency identified by the Ministry of Defence.(247.66 KB)
3.	Guidelines dated 05.11.2013: Guidelines for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980—Simplified procedure for grant of approval in certain cases of renewal of mining leases.(89.51 KB)
4.	Guidelines dated 17.05.2013: 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 Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts-reg.(236.41 KB)
5.	Guidelines dated 03.05.2013: Guidelines for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 – Modification in para 2.8 thereof.(56KB)
6.	Guidelines dated 05.02.2013: Diversion of forest 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.(562.48 KB)
7.	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.(219.67 KB)
8.	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.(149.4 KB)
9.	Report of the Committee constituted under Chairmanship of the Secretary, Environment and Forests to formulate objective parameters for identification of inviolate forest areas. – reg.(5.25 MB)
10.	Guidelines dtd. 09.11.12: Guidelines issued under the forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 – Realization of amount required for implementation of CAT Plan in more than one installment for small hydel project having installed capacity less than 25 MW.(30.77 KB)
11.	Guidelines dtd. 12.07.12: Guidelines for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.(2.13 MB)
12.	Guidelines dtd. 13.02.12: Guidelines for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 – Non-availability of forest land for creation of compensatory afforestation.(138.5 KB)
13.	Guidelines dtd. 08.07.11: Submission of Geo-referenced digital data for applications under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.(1.29 MB)
14.	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 of forest land-reg.(203.52 KB)
15.	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.(264.67 KB)
16.	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.(264.67 KB)
17.	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.(116.97 KB)
18.	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.(159.02 KB)
19.	Guidelines for re-diversion of forest land under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.(95.59 KB)
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.(49.48 KB)
21.	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.(121.08 KB)
22.	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.(83.67 KB)
23.	Guidelines dated 11.09.2009 – 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.(48.76 KB)
24.	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.(85.5 KB)
25.	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.(83.25 KB)
26.	Revision of para 4.4 of the guidelines on Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. (Withdrawal note)(398.13 KB)
27.	Revision of para 4.4 of the guidelines on Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.(942.89 KB)
28.	No.5-5/86-FC, [25/11/1994] – Guidelines for diversion of forest lands for non-forest purpose under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980(17.71 KB).
29.	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.(592.41 KB)

Miscellaneous

S.No	Title
1.	Letter dated 29.10.2013 – Updating of Diversion proposals under Forest Act on the website of the Ministry.(64.98 KB)
2.	Letter dated 08.04.2013 – Recommendations of the Forest Advisory Committee in its meeting dated 20th-21st February 2013.(41.94 KB)
3.	Letter dated 08.04.2013 – Recommendations of the Forest Advisory Committee in its meeting dated February 20-21, 2013.(48.34 KB)
4.	Letter dated 08.02.2013 – Decision No. CIC/SG/C/2011/001409/17503 dated 29th February 2012 in respect of complaint No. CIC/SG/C/2011/001409 filed by Ms. Shibani Ghosh – implementation- reg.(28.03 KB)
5.	Letter dated 20.11.2012 – Display of information related to proposals for diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes on the website of the Ministry – reg.(49.15 KB)