Forest Bill Cleared: Is This The Law We Need to Fight Climate Change?

Without debate and amid chaos, the Lok Sabha on 26th July passed the Forest Conservation Amendment Bill, 2023. While environmentalists demand a rollback, citing disaster for the country's forest resources, the government disagrees. The bill seeks to amend the 1980 act - and crucially, if passed, will allow the construction of highways, hydel power projects and other such projects in geographically sensitive areas within 100 km of international borders or the Line of Control without a forest clearance. Tonight, on We The People, we debate the role this new bill will play in the age of climate change.