Pune Citizens Protest Against Forest Conservation Amendment Bill 2023

The Joint Committee of Parliament has approved and adopted its report on the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, which will be tabled in the monsoon session of the parliament starting on 20th July.

The bill is visibly against the Indian constitution and the way it has been worked upon, along with its ill effects of current amendments on forest land use.

On Sunday 16 July citizens across India campaigned against the forest conservation amendment bill 2023. Pune citizens are apprehensive that if this bill is passed during the monsoon session of parliament, it will have disastrous consequences. 

Balewadi residents organised an early morning campaign, and later that evening they all gathered for a meeting with various citizens groups at the Forest Department Office on S B Road. 

Citizen groups such as the Pune River Revival, Area Sabha Association of Pune and Warrior Moms took part in the PAN India silent campaign to scrap the bill by displaying various placards like . “Stand with the forests of India”. 

“It is very disheartening that the Joint Parliamentary Committee has sent the bill to the table as is. The objections, comments, revisions and suggestions have not been taken into account at all. The FCA amendment Bill 2023 itself, and the procedure it’s been worked upon is extremely worrisome. This bill straight away opens up many ways for the government to utilize forest lands for non-forest use. If this bill gets passed it will be huge setback for our natural forests and the biodiversity they hold,” said Vandana Chaudhary, a citizen from Balewadi.

Hema Chari Madabushi, a member of ASAP stated that the hills and riparian forest that surround Pune are the city’s pride. This Bill, if passed in parliament’s monsoon session will limit the Act’s applicability to territory that was documented in official records as a forest on or after October 25, 1980. As a result, forests in the dictionary sense (i.e. deemed forests) will be excluded from the Act’s scope. As a result, Pune’s hills and rivers will lose their protective cover, opening up the land for real estate development. 

The proposed amendments to the Forest Conservation Act are alarming in the light of *Global warming and Climate change* caused by destruction of forests, exploitation of oceans and other natural resources in India. The loss of forest cover over the last 100 years has already resulted in heat waves, floods, unpredictable monsoon patterns, loss of crops and precious human and animal life. 

The nation’s defense is unquestionably high priority and India should focus on use of our natural resources of forests, mountains and rivers as a *strategic defence mechanism* as adopted by Shivaji Maharaj for success in protecting the country. The other reason mentioned for amendment is for zoos, eco-tourism and safaris is shocking as we have already witnessed the adverse effects of such intrusions in natural parks and forests in the form of *loss of biodiversity, creation of pollution and waste* in these pristine areas along with issues of human animal conflicts.

Forests once destroyed cannot be regenerated in their natural form and in the last 100 years, there has already been mindless destruction of forests in India in the name of ‘so – called development’. We appeal to the intelligence of our Wildlife and Forest Departments to strive for the *defence of our natural wealth* of which they are the custodians for our future generations. 

“We need to urgently stop on this path of self destruction and protect *our national treasure – our forests.* India has the potential to be a role to the world by demonstrating that sustainable development is possible without destruction of natural capital instead of aping the so called ‘developed nations’ who are responsible for the sad plight of this planet. This is a sincere appeal and request to all the concerned authorities to take appropriate action to *strengthen* and implement more *stringent rules* to *protect and conserve our forests* instead of diluting the Act,” said Sanjeev Naik, a member of Pune River Revival. 

Ameet Singh stated with this forest act they will be denotifying border areas, mangroves & wetlands. This simply means these areas will now be free for exploitation by industry & commercial purposes. The long term environmental consequences of these moves will be terrible.