Tue Mar 04 16:48:44 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Holds States Accountable for Forest Conservation

**New Delhi, March 5, 2025** – The Supreme Court issued a strong warning on Tuesday, holding Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territory Administrators personally liable for failing to comply with its directives on forest conservation. The court’s order comes after repeated delays in the constitution of expert committees to identify and record forest lands, as mandated by a 1996 judgment and reinforced by subsequent orders.

The court noted that most states have not yet completed the required exercise of consolidating forest land records under Rule 16(1) of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam Rules, 2023. This rule brings “forest-like areas” under the protection of conservation laws.

The court reiterated its broad definition of “forest,” encompassing all areas recorded as such in government records, regardless of ownership or classification. This definition directly challenges recent amendments to the Forest Act, which petitioners argue restrict the definition, potentially excluding approximately 1.97 lakh sq.km. of forest land.

The petitioners, represented by prominent lawyers, argue this exclusion would cause significant ecological damage. While the Centre has agreed to refrain from precipitate action, the court emphasized the critical need for states to complete the identification and recording of forest lands within a strict timeframe: one month to form expert committees and six months to complete the record consolidation. Failure to comply will result in personal liability for the chief administrators.

The court’s order also addressed concerns raised by the petitioners regarding a February 3rd order that may allow for the use of forest land for linear projects if compensatory afforestation is provided. While the court acknowledged the concern, it refused to speculate on its potential implications. The court directed all states and union territories to submit a comprehensive report on their progress to the central government, which will then present it to the Supreme Court.

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