Forests' lingering question.

The article discusses the ongoing debate surrounding India's forest definitions and the recent Supreme Court order mandating all states and Union Territories to ascertain their total forestland based on the dictionary definition of a forest. The court has ordered the government to adhere to the 28-year-old dictionary meaning of forest until a final verdict is reached on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the 2023 Amendment to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The petitioners argue that the amendment could exclude a significant portion of the total forest area. The article highlights the challenges in accurately identifying and defining forests in India, including the lack of access to expert committee reports and the diversion of designated forest areas for other purposes. [Extracted from the article]