Poba Reserve Forest To Become A Wildlife Sanctuary

• 17 Jul 2020

• The Govt. of Assam has announced the upgradation of Poba Reserve Forest, a vital biodiversity hotspot in Dhemaji district, as a wildlife sanctuary.
• The terms ‘Reserved Forests’&‘Protected Forests’ were introduced in India through Indian Forest Act, 1927 .
• In reserved forests the activities like grazing, haunting etc. are generally banned unless permission is granted for a particular reason. But in case of protected forests, mostly all these activities are allowed unless banned specifically.
• As per IFA 1927, any forest land or wasteland that is Govt. Property & hasn't been specified as reserved forest, can be declared as Protected Forest as per provisions of chapter(IV) under IFA, 1927.
• The state govt. has the power to declare any Protected Forest to be Reserved Forests onwards (means state govt. is entitled with the power to do conversion as per provisions) by the official notification in Gazette.
• Protected Forests are often upgraded to the status of Wildlife Sanctuaries & then to National Parks with increase in govt. funding and protection with each higher category.