As provided in explanation "non-forest purpose" means the breaking up or clearing of any forest land or portion thereof for- (a) the cultivation of tea, coffee, spices, rubber, palms, oil-bearing plants, horticultural crops or medicinal plants; (b) any purpose other than reafforestation; but does not include any work relating or ancillary to conservation, development and management of forests and wildlife, namely, the establishment of check-posts, fire lines, wireless communications and construction of fencing, bridges and culverts, dams, waterholes, trench marks, boundary marks, pipelines or other like purposes.
It states that Whoever contravenes or abets the contravention of any of the provisions of Section 2, shall be punishable with simple imprisonment for a period which may extend to fifteen days.
In such cases it says that the Head of the Department shall be considered Guilty, although if he proves that it was done without his knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.
It states that (1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, makes rules for carrying out the provisions of this Act.
These activities are setting of transmission lines, seismic surveys, exploration, drilling and hydroelectric projects.
Introduced in March 29th, 2023, the Forest Conservation Amendment Bill, 2023 has proposed the following changes: (i) exempts certain categories of land from its purview (ii) expands the gamut of activities that can be carried out on forest land A Joint Committee of Parliament has reviewed the Bill before it was introduced in the Parliament.