**Executive Summary**
This document is the Tamil Nadu Forest (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act No. 41 of 2025), published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette on June 25, 2025. The Act amends the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882, and received presidential assent on June 17, 2025. The Act's effective date is to be determined by a notification from the State Government.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Short Title and Commencement:**
* The Act is called the Tamil Nadu Forest (Amendment) Act, 2025.
* It will come into force on a date appointed by the State Government via notification.
* **Amendment to Section 7 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882:**
* The expression "the Board of Revenue" is replaced with "such officer of the Revenue Department not below the rank of District Collector, as may be notified by the Government."
* **Insertion of Section 16-B:**
* Section 16-B is inserted, concerning the declaration of compensatory afforestation land as reserved forest.
* It allows the Government to declare any land transferred to the Forest Department for compensatory afforestation under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 (Central Act 69 of 1980) and its rules, as reserved forest via notification, notwithstanding anything contained in the Act.
* **Amendment to Section 18:**
* The expression "the Board of Revenue" is replaced with "such officer of the Revenue Department not below the rank of District Collector, as may be notified by the Government."
* **Substitution of Section 65:**
* Section 65 is substituted to state "Government may delegate powers - The Government may, by notification, delegate any of the powers vested in them under sections 16, 19, 20, 22, 27 and 58 to such officer of the Revenue Department not below the rank of District Collector, as may be specified in the said notification."
**Impact Analysis**
**State Government / Forest Department**
* **Impact:**
* Authority to declare compensatory afforestation land as reserved forest.
* Empowered to delegate powers to officers of the Revenue Department not below the rank of District Collector.
* **Action Required:**
* Issue a notification for the effective date of the Act.
* Issue notifications for the declaration of compensatory afforestation land.
* Issue notifications for delegation of power to revenue officers.
**Revenue Department (Specifically District Collectors and higher-ranked officers)**
* **Impact:**
* Potential to receive delegated powers related to forest management.
* **Action Required:**
* Await notification from the government regarding delegation of powers and act accordingly.
Key Entities Referenced
Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882: The principal act being amended. Deals with forest management and conservation in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu Forest (Amendment) Act, 2025: An Act to amend the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882.
Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly: The legislative body of Tamil Nadu, which enacted the law.
Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980: The central act referenced regarding compensatory afforestation.