‘India’s New Forest Conservation Rules Facilitate Takeover of Forest Lands by Corporates’

India’s Environment Ministry has proposed new rules in the country’s Forest Conservation Act. Many are asking if these new rules are meant for forest conservation or forest corporatisation. The new guidelines do away with the old rules that required developers to obtain consent of local authorities and community representatives before acquiring forest land. Under the new rules, the approval can be provided by the Central Government alone. The rules say nothing about resettling the inhabitants once they are evicted.