Forest Protection: Landmark Decisions by the Supreme Court
GS-2 Mains
Short Notes or Revision Notes
Question : Discuss the significance of forests as a national asset, as emphasized by landmark Supreme Court rulings. How do these rulings contribute to forest protection and conservation in India?
Supreme Court’s View:
- Forests are a national asset and major contributor to India’s financial wealth.
- Judgement arose from a case challenging “gifting” forest land to a private person.
Forestry and Financial Wealth:
- Forests act as a major carbon sink, mitigating climate change.
- Estimated value of carbon storage: $5 per tonne of CO2 (conservative estimate).
- India’s forest carbon stock increased from 1995 to 2005 (6,245 mt to 6,662 mt).
Forest Resources in India:
- Managed by Forest Survey of India (FSI) under MoEF&CC.
- FSI conducts biennial forest cover mapping and national forest inventory.
- India has 63 million hectares for potential forest restoration.
- National Forest Policy (1988) aims for 33% forest & tree cover.
- Current forest cover: 24.62% (including tree cover).
Importance of Forests:
- Ecological: clean air, water, soil conservation, biodiversity, climate change mitigation.
- Social: habitat, livelihood source, watershed protection, timber & non-timber products.
- Over 1.6 billion people globally depend on forests for basic needs.
Forest Conservation Efforts:
- National Forest Policy (1988)
- Indian Forest Act (1927)
- Forest (Conservation) Act (1980)
- Wildlife (Protection) Act (1972)
Conclusion:
- Forest resources are crucial for India’s ecology and economy.
- Supreme Court judgement emphasizes forest protection and conservation policies.
हिन्दी