Jairam Ramesh criticises Modi govt for hastily changing the Forest status

Former environment minister Jairam Ramesh on Thursday took a swipe at the Centre after the Odisha government reportedly withdrew its controversial "deemed forest" order, saying that in its hurry to do away with 'deemed' forests, the Modi government has actually "doomed forests".

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared on X a media report which said that the Odisha government has withdrawn a controversial order issued on August 11, which told district officials that 'deemed forests' as a category would cease to exist under the recently amended Forest Act.

"After Parliament passed the dangerous amendments to the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 last week, which many, including me, had warned against, the Odisha government was quick to pass orders that 'deemed' forests would no longer be considered as forests," Ramesh said.

"Now the Union Ministry says the state's order is withdrawn. Confusion galore. In its hurry to do away with 'deemed' forests, the Modi government has actually doomed forests," he said in his post on X.

'Deemed forests' are forests that are not classified so, by the Centre or states, in their records.