No New Zoo, Safari Without SC Approval: Top Court In Orders For Forest Conservation

The Supreme Court ordered that state governments and union territories are required to furnish details of forest land within their jurisdiction to the Centre by March 31 this year

The Supreme Court has ordered that any fresh proposal for establishing a zoo or safari on forest land must obtain approval from the court. This directive comes as part of a series of measures aimed at forest conservation across the country. The apex court's decision stems from a batch of petitions challenging the amendments to the forest conservation law of 2023. The bench, comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, issued several directions in response to these petitions, news agency PTI reported.

Under the new directives, state governments and union territories are required to furnish details of forest land within their jurisdiction to the Centre by March 31 this year. These details will encompass various categories of forest areas, including "forest like area, unclassed forest land and community forest land", PTI's report mentioned.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is tasked with compiling and publishing this information on its website by April 15. Notably, the court specified that no zoos or safaris can be established on forest lands without prior approval.

In its interim order, the bench instructed states and UTs to adhere to the definition of forest outlined in the apex court's 1996 judgement in the case of TN Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India. This definition will guide the identification of forest land recorded in government records, as per the report.

Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023

The petitioners have raised concerns over the amended law's narrower definition of forest under Section 1A, PTI reported. According to the amended law, land must either be notified as a forest or specifically recorded as such in government records to qualify.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, defended the amendments, stating they were in line with the apex court's directives.

The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill was introduced by the Centre on March 27, 2023. However, the legality of these amendments is being challenged in court, with petitioners seeking their annulment.