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Polity & Governance
Mahesh

14/07/22 12:28 PM IST

Forest Act: Centre to decriminalise minor offences

In News 
  • The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has issued a public notice for decriminalisation of Indian Forest Act, 1927.
Provisions of the Act
  • A person who “kindles, keeps or carries any fire” permits cattle to pasture or trespass or causes damage by felling a tree or dragging timber through the forest could earlier be penalised with six months imprisonment or a fine up to Rs 500, or both.
  • At present, the penalty is only a fine of Rs 500.
  • Indian Forest Act, 1927: It classified the forests into three – reserved forests, protected forests and village forests.
  • It attempted to regulate the collection of forests produce by forest dwellers and some activities were declared as offences and imprisonment and fines were imposed in this policy to establish the state control over forests
  • Changes suggested: Decriminalizing kindling of fire or carrying fire in the forest areas, felling and dragging timbers; violation of the act will only attract a fine of Rs 500 (previously it was six-month imprisonment and fine)
  • Previously, the Ministry had proposed the decriminalisation of the existing provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 in order to weed out fear of imprisonment for simple violations (e.g. violation of a ban on single-use-plastic)
Source- Indian Express 

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