Forests in India are governed by a combination of colonial-era management codes and modern conservation legislation aimed at preventing ecological depletion.
1. Classification of Forests: Indian Forest Act, 1927
The Indian Forest Act, 1927 divides forest areas into three statutory classes:
- Reserved Forests: Created by State Governments on forest lands. Public rights are completely barred unless specifically permitted in writing by a forest settlement officer.
- Protected Forests: Created on non-reserved forest lands. Public rights are recorded and generally allowed, subject to specific restrictions by the State.
- Village Forests: Forest lands assigned to village communities for collective usage and management.
2. The Forest Conservation Act, 1980: Section 2 Restrictions
To check the rapid conversion of forests into agricultural or industrial lands, the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 placed strong centralized controls on State Governments.
Under Section 2, no State Government or authority can make any order concerning the following without the prior approval of the Central Government:
- De-reserving any reserved forest.
- Directing that any forest land (or portion thereof) be used for any non-forest purpose (such as mining, cultivation, or commercial infrastructure).
- Assigning or leasing forest land to any private person or entity.