Mon Feb 03 20:51:11 IST 2025: ## Supreme Court Upholds Broad Definition of ‘Forest’, Restricts Land Use for Projects
**NEW DELHI, February 3, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India has reaffirmed its broad interpretation of the term “forest,” reiterating that no reduction in forest land can occur without equivalent compensatory afforestation. The ruling, delivered on Monday, directly addresses challenges to amendments made in 2023 to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
The court’s decision maintains the “broad and all-encompassing” definition of “forest” established last year, encompassing 1.97 lakh square kilometers of previously undeclared forest land. This definition, aligned with a 1996 Supreme Court ruling, includes areas irrespective of their official classification or ownership.
The court rejected arguments that recent amendments to the Act had diluted this definition. While the government claimed the amendments did not intend to reduce forest cover, the court insisted on the use of the dictionary definition of “forest” for clarity.
The justices explicitly prohibited the use of forest land for linear projects unless a corresponding area is allocated for compensatory afforestation. Furthermore, the court stipulated that the establishment of zoos or safaris requires its prior approval.
The court acknowledged the ongoing process, mandated by the Environment Ministry, to create a consolidated record of all lands considered “forest” within government records. This process, expected to take a year, will clarify the boundaries of forest land under the broad definition. Until the consolidated record is completed, the expansive interpretation of “forest” remains in effect.
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