Union Cabinet of India Approved the Amendments to the Indian Forest Act, 1927

The Union Cabinet of India, on 22 March 2011, approved the amendments to the Indian Forest Act, 1927 to stop instances of unnecessary harassment and prosecution of forest dwellers and tribals for minor offences. Besides, to restrain the arbitrary power of the forest official, a clause could be added to the Act according to which the forest official will have to consult and record the views of the gram sabha or village assembly before adjudging a person to have violated the law. The amendment to the Indian Forest Act was necessary because forest officers implicated tribals in false cases to harass them whenever they went into the forest to meet their daily livelihood needs.

The amendment to the Indian Forest Act raised the limit to which fines for relatively minor offences can be compounded from 50 rupees to 10000 rupees. Enacted in 1927, the law set the limit for compounding offences to 50 rupees.  At present, the low limit of 50 rupees was all easy to breach. It can put an end to the encroachments on forest properties which harm the interests of tribals.

Besides the above, the Union ministry of Environment and Forests, asked state governments to declare bamboo as a minor forest produce to address livelihood issues of forest dwellers and tribals. It should be noted that bamboo is a traditional source of subsistence for tribals.