THE FOREST CONSERVATION ACT: SAVING NATURE’S WEALTH

What would happen to this planet if all the forests were to disappear! This planet would go through catastrophic changes and face unprecedented climate imbalances. The planet would lose its massive wildlife and naturally go through floods and droughts in alternate seasons. In extreme cases, even human life could be under threat. In most parts of the globe, forests are referred to as the ‘lungs of the Earth’ as these provide oxygen and absorb in carbon dioxide. In India, however, the role of forests is far greater. They support millions of tribal and rural people and form the backbone of their lives of countless Indians. However, with fast growing industrialization, urbanization, increasing mining activities and growth of infrastructure all over the country, man has resorted to deforesting large chunks of land. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 was enacted by the Indian Parliament to control the haphazard usage of forest land. The Act is aimed at conserving forests for future generation. It is one of the most important environmental laws of India.