deemed forest

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The National Green Tribunal has formed a joint committee to investigate allegations of illegal sand mining on the Subarnarekha river in Odisha's Balasore district. The committee, comprising representatives from district administration, SEIAA, and OSPCB, will submit a report within four weeks. This action follows a petition by local residents concerned about environmental degradation and revenue loss.

Karnataka government faces a setback regarding Bhadra Tiger Reserve. The National Tiger Conservation Authority has clarified that the entire buffer zone must be considered an Eco-Sensitive Zone. This directive halts efforts by local legislators to reduce the buffer, which includes villages and private lands. The move aims to protect wildlife and prevent development restrictions.

The forest department is assessing the condition of deemed forests in Delhi to record the change in tree density. Officials will visit these areas with land-owning agencies and carry out tree plantation. The department filed an affidavit in the High Court, stating that deputy conservators of forests are required to assess the conditions and undertake joint visits to plan re-afforestation. Digitalisation of deemed forest land has been completed, and the department has asked for clarification on roadside plantations. There is an urgent need to protect and replant trees in deemed forests.

The order was described by environmentalists as a landmark one because it makes the land in Sarai Khwaja the first in the state to be legally classified as a 'deemed forest'.

The Delhi High Court has asked various city authorities to provide information on the status of deemed forests within their jurisdiction. The court has requested details on the latest status of these forests to be provided to the forest department. The court is hearing a petition on the preservation of green cover in the city and has also asked for a report on compensatory afforestation. The court emphasized the need for a balance between development and conservation and may take action if necessary.

Two months after it stayed the definition of "deemed forests" introduced by the state government in November last year, the Uttarakhand high court (HC) on Friday once again put a stay on the changes made by the administration in February.

Applications seeking lease for quarrying or its renewal cannot be rejected solely on the ground that the lands in question are categorised as deemed forests, said the high court, adding that the concept of “deemed forest is foreign to our law”

A Bill having far reaching consequences on the ecology and adverse impact on the deemed forests is likely to be introduced in the Haryana Assembly shortly for facilitating change of land use of the area notified at present under sections -3, 4 and 5 of the Punjab Land Preservation (PLP) Act , 1900.

Former forest minister B Ramanath Rai said that several acres of agricultural land, dwellings and even schools are included in the list of deemed forest land due to lack of proper physical verification.

Uttarakhand cabinet, which met late on Thursday evening at chief minister’s residence, amended the definition of deemed forest. Now, the state definition of a deemed forest is “a land patch of 5 hectares or more with 40 per cent canopy density”.