Minister Prakash Javadekar said draft created misconception among people
The Union government was withdrawing the officers’ draft of the Indian Forest Act (IFA), 1927 amendment, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) Prakash Javadekar told reporters on November 15, 2019.
Inspector General of Forests (Forest Policy) Noyal Thomas had sent a letter to all states on March 7 this year, seeking their comments on the first draft of the comprehensive amendments to the IFA.
Each state had to conduct consultations with all its stakeholders, including non-profits and civil society organisations, and send the compiled feedback to MoEF&CC by June 7.
Javadekar, however, said the government did not create the draft to amend the law, and there was confusion among people about what the draft was meant for.
“Eleven states have created their own forest laws. A study was done to see if they can be improved. But people thought this study was the government’s draft to amend the Indian Forest Act. The government has no such intention,” Javadekar said.
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