Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology, Coimbatore and National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) jointly organised one-day workshop on Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act 2023 and Biodiversity Conservation in Chennai on 29.09.2023 at NBA auditorium.

The workshop aims to address the changes in the forest conservation over the last four decades and various emerging issues like Carbon sequestration for mitigation of effects of Climate Change and the Country’s commitment to the Nationally Determined Contribution towards such efforts, the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 was amended in 2023. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 was enacted to regulate the diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes besides, provision to take up activities for the conservation of forests in the Country.

The new amendment has included a detailed Preamble which envisages to have net zero carbon emission by 2070 and creating an additional carbon equivalent of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes by 2030. The Amendment Act brings clarity to the interpretational issues connecting the lands where the provisions of the Act would be applicable. The Amendment Act has also eased the permission modalities required for approach access to habitations along roads and railway lines up to 0.1 hectare of forest land, for strategically important linear projects within 100 km of international boundary, public utility projects in Left Wing Extremism Affected Districts and security related infrastructure facilities. The Amendment Act also envisages to improve forest cover in the country by encouraging to take up plantation outside forest areas which are exempted from the provisions of the Act and such plantation with native species would also improve the biodiversity in the area as well as improve their livelihood. In this connection one-day workshop on “Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 and Biodiversity” was organised in National Biodiversity Authority, Chennai.

The Chief guest of the workshop was Dr. Sanjay Kumar Sukhla, Member Secretary, Central Zoo Authority. Thiru. P. Subramanayam, Deputy Director General of Forests, Regional Office, MoEF & CC, Chennai welcomed the dignitaries and participants. Thiru. Ramesh Kumar Pandey, Inspector General of Forests in MoEF & CC, Government of India gave inputs on the details of the provisions of the Amendment Act, Dr. B. Balaji, Secretary, National Biodiversity authority enlightened the participants on “Biodiversity conservation and Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023” and Dr. P. Pramod, Senior Principal Scientist, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, (SACON) Coimbatore gave a talk on “Biodiversity Conservation outside Protected Area”.

Senior Forest officers from the States of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana and Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, representatives of user agencies like NHAI, BSNL, Railways, Biodiversity Management Committee Members, representatives from the respective State Biodiversity Boards and other stakeholders participated in the Workshop. More than 150 stakeholders from all over the country have participated online in the workshop besides several BMC members have attended. Thiru. S. Sasikumar, Deputy Inspector General of Forests, Regional Office, Chennai proposed vote of thanks. The workshop was organised on hybrid mode jointly by SACON, NBA and the Regional Office, Chennai. 

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