Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
Two-Stage Clearance and Compensatory Afforestation
The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 requires Central Government approval before forest land is diverted to non-forest use, including mining. Clearance is granted in two stages: Stage-I (in-principle approval, subject to conditions like compensatory afforestation) and Stage-II (final approval, issued after the state government reports compliance with Stage-I conditions). The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), a statutory expert body, examines diversion proposals and recommends action to the Central Government.
- Two-stage clearance: Stage-I (in-principle) → compliance with conditions → Stage-II (final diversion approval)
- FAC recommendations feed into the Central Government's final decision under the Act
- Compensatory afforestation requires the user agency to provide equivalent non-forest (or degraded forest) land and funds, administered via the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 (CAMPA)
- The Act was renamed and amended in 2023 as the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, narrowing the definition of "forest" land covered and adding exemptions
● Tracked since March 10, 2026 · last seen September 22, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
22 Sep '26
Fourth Coal Mine Near Bandhavgarh-Achanakmar Tiger Corridor Cleared Since July
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10 Sep '26
Tribal Ministry's Stand on Gram Sabha Consent for Forest Diversion Draws Objection
Social Issues
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