Indian Forest Act 1927
Topic: Natural Vegetation and Forests of India · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Indian Forest Act 1927 is a law from British times that still applies in India. Under it, governments can declare land as reserved, protected or village forest. It also controls how forest produce, such as timber, is moved, and it sets out forest offences (acts that break forest rules). A 2017 amendment (change to the law) took bamboo grown outside forests out of the meaning of "tree". So farmers can now cut and sell their own bamboo freely.
Example
Madhya Pradesh has India's largest permanent forest estate, which is its reserved and protected forest put together. This land is about 75 per cent of the state's forest. Forest is put into these legal categories by declaring it under forest law of this kind.
Don't confuse with
- Forest (Conservation) Act 1980: under this Act, forest land can be used for other purposes, such as mines or dams, only with prior approval from the Central government. The 1927 Act declares forests and controls forest produce.