Question:

Forest Conservation Act was enacted in the year ______________

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Do not confuse the Indian Forest Act (1927) with the Forest (Conservation) Act (1980). The former manages forests; the latter stops them from being turned into something else.
  • 1980
  • 1985
  • 1927
  • 1988
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
This question asks for the enactment year of the major Indian legislation that regulates the diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

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• The Forest (Conservation) Act was enacted by the Indian Parliament in 1980. Its primary objective is to check the rapid deforestation that was occurring due to the uncontrolled diversion of forest lands for agriculture, mining, and infrastructure projects.

• Under this act, prior approval from the Central Government is mandatory before any state government can de-reserve a reserved forest or allow forest land to be used for non-forest activities.

• It is a powerful tool for forest protection. If forest land must be diverted for a critical project, the act requires "Compensatory Afforestation" (planting trees on an equivalent area of non-forest land) to ensure no net loss of green cover.

• The other dates are significant in Indian forest history: 1927 is the year of the Indian Forest Act (the foundational law); 1988 is the year of the National Forest Policy; 1985 is when the Ministry of Environment and Forests was established.

• The Act was significantly amended in 1988 to further tighten restrictions and again in 2023 to address modern developmental and strategic needs.

Step 3: Final Answer:

The Forest Conservation Act was enacted in the year 1980.
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