Forest Conservation Division

21st Session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission, Dehradun, India, 17-21 April, 2006 [image],[html],[pdf] & [word].

National Working Plan Code [html],[pdf] & [word].

State Advisory Groups (SAGs)

The State Advisory Groups (SAGs) constituted by the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India, under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 shall meet according to the timetable. In case any date indicated in the time-table happens to be a Government holiday, the meeting shall take place on the next working day.

2. The senior-most Conservator of Forests/Deputy Conservator of Forests of the Regional Office shall act as the Chairperson of the concerned SAG in the absence of the Chief Conservator of Forests/Conservator of Forests. Nodal Officer of the State shall act as the Member-Secretary of the concerned SAG.

Time-Table for meeting of SAGs

Regional Office		Venue of the SAG meeting		Date
1.	Bhopal	1.	Mumbai	14^th
		2.	Gandhinagar	16^th
		3.	Silvassa	18^th
		4.	Bhopal	20^th
		5.	Raipur	22^nd
2.	Lucknow	1.	Dehradun	16^th
		2.	Lucknow	18^th
		3.	Jaipur	20^th
3.	Bhubaneshwar	1.	Port Blair	14^th
		2.	Kolkata	16^th
		3.	Patna	18^th
		4.	Ranchi	20^th
		5.	Bhubaneshwar	22^nd
4.	Shillong	1.	Itanagar	8^th
		2.	Kohima	10^th
		3.	Imphal	12^th
		4.	Dispur (Guwahati)	14^th
		5.	Shillong	16^th
		6.	Agartala	18^th
		7.	Aizawl	20^th
		8.	Gangtok	22^nd
5.	Bangalore	1.	Bangalore	4^th
		2.	Chennai	6^th
		3.	Hyderabad	8^th
		4.	Thiruvananthapuram	10^th
		5.	Panaji	12^th
6.	Chandigarh	1.	Panchkula	16^th
		2.	Chandigarh	18^th
		3.	Shimla	20^th
		4.	Delhi	22^nd

The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 came in to force with effect from October 25, 1980. Under the provisions of this Act, prior approval of the Central Government is essential for diversion of forest lands for the non-forestry purposes. In the national interest and in the interest of future generations, this Act, therefore, regulates the diversion of forest lands to non forestry purposes. The basic objective of the Act is, to regulate the indiscriminate diversion of forest lands for non forestry uses and to maintain a logical balance between the developmental needs of the country and the conservation of natural heritage. The, guidelines have been issued under the Act from time to time, to simplify the procedures, to cut down delays and to make the Act more user friendly. To ensure this, recently, new rules under this Act have been framed and notified on 10/1/2003 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The Act has succeeded in controlling the indiscriminate release of forest land for non forestry purposes. Prior to 1980, the rate of diversion of forest lands for non forestry purposes was about 1.43 lakh ha. per annum. But, with the advent of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the rate of diversion of forest lands has come down to around 15000 ha. per annum and mostly diversion of forest land is allowed to meet the developmental needs for Drinking water projects, Irrigation projects, Transmission lines, Railway lines, Roads, Power projects, Defense related projects, Mining etc. For such diversions of forest lands for non forestry purposes, compensatory afforestation is stipulated and catchment area treatment plan, wildlife habitat improvement plan, rehabilitation plan etc. are being implemented, to mitigate the ill effects of diversion of such vast area of green forests. To monitor the effective implementation of the compensatory afforestation in the country, an authority named as "Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA)" is being constituted at the national level. A monitoring cell is also being set up in the Ministry of Environment & Forests to monitor the movement of proposals at various stages and the compliance of the conditions stipulated in the forestry clearances by the user agencies.

Forest Advisory Committee

In exercise of powers conferred under Section 3 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 read with Rule 3(1) of the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003 and in compliance to the orders dated 02.05.2008 of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in W.P. (C) No. 202 of 1995, the Government of India hereby reconstitute the Forest Advisory Committee as under with immediate effect i.e. from the date of issue of this order :-

i	Director General of ForestsMinistry of Environment & Forests	::	Chairman
ii	Additional Director General of Forests Ministry of Environment & Forests	::	Member
iii	Additional Commissioner (Soil Conservation)Ministry of Agriculture	::	Member
iv	Prof. Madhav GadgilCentre for Ecological Sciences, IISC, Bangalore-560012. Email: madhav@ces.iisc.ernet.in	::	Member
v	Dr. Ullas KaranthCentre for Wildlife Studies, 1669, 31st Cross, 16th Main, Bana Shankari, Second Stage, Bangalore-560070. Email: karanth@blr.vsnl.net.in	::	Member
vi	Mr. Mahesh Rangarajan24, Samachar Apartments, Mayur Vihar Phase-I (Extn.), New Delhi-110091. Email: mahesh3@del6.vsnl.net.in	::	Member
vii	Inspector General of Forests (Forest Conservation)Ministry of Environment & Forests	::	Member Secretary

The non-official members at Serial No. (iv), (v) & (vi) shall continue to hold office for a period of two years i.e. till 25.05.2010.
The terms of appointment of all the non-official members shall be in accordance with the Rule 4 of the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003
3. The current Advisory Committee shall cease to exist from the date of issue of this order.

Meeting of FAC

The Forest Advisory Committee constituted by the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India, under Section-3 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, read with the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003, shall meet on 2nd & 4th Thursday of every month for conduct of its business. In case on these days, it happens to be a Central Government holiday, the Committee shall meet on the next working day. The meeting shall take place in the Committee Room of the Director General of Forests and Special Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Paryavaran Bhawan, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003, at 10.30 AM.

Outsourcing manpower for Monitoring Cell in FC Division [html],[pdf] & [word].

The other important web-links are as follows:

Forests Clearance

Model Letters According Forest Clearance

Task Force on Sal Borer Attack

Guidelines and Rules made under Forest Conservation Act, 1980.

Stepping up of process for conservation of forest villages into revenue villages, [html],[pdf] & [word].
Regularisation of the rights of the tribals on the forest lands, [html],[pdf] & [word].
Forest(Conservation) Amendment Rules, 2004, G.S.R.94(E) dated 3/03/2004- [html],[pdf] & [word].
Corrigendum G.S.R.107(E) dated 9/03/2004 of Forest(Conservation) Amendment Rules, 2004, G.S.R.94(E) dated 3/03/2004- [html],[pdf] & [word].
Reply of Shri Ramesh Bais, Minister for Environment & Forests, (Independent Charge) on the letter addressed by Shri Ashish Fernandes, Assistant Editor, Sanctuary Magazine, Mumbai, - [html],[pdf] & [word].

For further information, please contact:

Forest Conservation Division
Ministry of Environment & Forests
Government of India
Paryawaran Bhawan
CGO Complex, Lodi Road
New Delhi - 110 003. (India).

Telefax: +91-11-2436 0678

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