Meaning of 'forest' set to change in India

	HEREINAFTER The Union ministry of environment and forests (MOEF) has reached the first milestone of its ministerial excercise 'Defining Forest in Indian Context'. At a 2-day meeting held April 30-May 1, 2007, the Ashoka Trust
	AT STAKE At the April end workshop, the consultants put forward a draft definition: henceforth, forests in India would be defined as "an area under Government control notified or recorded as 'forest' under any Act,
	BIGGEST LANDLORDS An annual demand of over a million railway sleepers translated into an unregulated assault on fores; among other, the sal forests of Garhwal and Kumaon were devasted. Realising forests
	DEFINING MOMENT There is no doubt that India needs a definition of 'forest'. The situation of parallel governance - ministry and court; forest laws and court orders - has ensured that the status quo in forest management is