1992 (yet to be announced):

1. Compensatory afforestation for plantation along rail, road canal: The revised guidelines would permit the use of protected forest for linear plantation without insisting upon non-forest land for compensatory afforestation.

2. Transmission towers and lines: There will be no need for compensatory afforestation on non-forest land for construction of a transmission tower or line through the forest upto 220 kva. Compensatory afforestation in double the degraded forest land will be considered adequate.

3. Extraction of minor minerals from river bed and forest area: While permitting extraction of minor minerals from the forest river bed or forest area, non-forest land for compensatory afforestation will not be insisted upon. Compensatory afforestation on double the degraded forest will be considered adequate. If the mineral area is more than 500 ha then compensatory afforestation can be done on equivalent degraded forest land.

1992, May

Regional forest conservators were authorised to clear 5 ha cases and process cases involving upto 20 ha.

1989: Forest ministers' conference It was decided that projects involving diversion of forest area upto 10 ha need not be referred to the advisory committee and could hereafter be cleared by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MEF) on the recommendation of the inspector-general (forests). Regional chief conservator of forests could divert upto one ha of forest land for which no compensatoy afforestation would be required. Restrictions on buildings such as schools, dispensaries and rural sheds were relaxed. Use of degraded forest land was allowed for rehabilitation of tribals who had to move out of the core zone of national parks.

1988

Leasing of forest land to individuals or private body, corporation or any other agency outside the government was banned.

Clearing of natural forests for re-afforestation without prior Central government approval was banned.

The scope of "non-forest purposes" was expanded to include cultivation of tea, coffee, spices, rubber, palms, oil-bearing plants, horticultural crops and medicinal plants.

A penal povision for contravention of the provisions of the act by any authority, individual or institution was incorporated.