Panel reviewing forest clearance process
Forest Advisory Committee Reforms: The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has recently proposed streamlining the process for granting forest clearance to major infrastructure and industrial projects. This move aims to reduce procedural delays while ensuring environmental compliance.
The recommendation comes amid growing pressure to balance developmental needs with forest conservation goals. FAC’s proposal is part of a broader reform under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
What is the Forest Advisory Committee?
The Forest Advisory Committee is a statutory body constituted under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. It plays a crucial role in evaluating proposals for the diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes like mining, dam construction, and road building.
Its primary responsibility is to examine project proposals and submit recommendations to the Central Government. The final decision, however, lies with the Ministry of Environment.
Static GK fact: The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 was enacted to curb deforestation by requiring prior central approval for the use of forest land for non-forest activities.
Role and limitations of FAC
The FAC has an advisory role, not executive authority. It evaluates project impact, compliance with environmental safeguards, and alternatives to forest diversion. Based on these, it provides its recommendatory opinion to the MoEFCC.
The suggested reforms now focus on making the clearance process faster for strategic and national importance projects, especially in border and tribal regions, without diluting environmental safeguards.
Environmental concerns and development push
While reforms can ease bottlenecks in project execution, they have sparked debates among environmentalists. They argue that streamlining may lead to hasty clearances without due diligence on ecological impacts.
On the other hand, policymakers stress that delays in clearances have hampered economic growth, particularly in sectors like infrastructure and energy.
Static GK Tip: India’s total forest cover is around 21.71% of its geographical area, according to the India State of Forest Report 2021.
Importance for aspirants
Understanding the working of bodies like FAC is crucial for questions related to environmental governance, forest policy, and regulatory institutions in India. It also overlaps with prelims and mains syllabus under environment and ecology.
Static Usthadian Current Affairs Table
Forest Advisory Committee Reforms:
| Topic | Detail |
| Forest Advisory Committee | Statutory body under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 |
| Ministry involved | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) |
| Nature of role | Advisory, not executive |
| Key Function | Recommends on diversion of forest land for non-forest use |
| Recent Update | Proposal to streamline forest clearance process |
| Forest Act Year | Enacted in 1980 |
| Forest Cover in India | Around 21.71% of total area (ISFR 2021) |
| Projects affected | Mining, roads, railways, defense, industry |
| Clearance responsibility | Final decision by MoEFCC |
| Relevance | Environment, policy reforms, infrastructure clearance |
