New Delhi, July 7 -- Affidavits filed in the Supreme Court have flagged concerns over a two-fold destruction of the country's natural forests if forest lands are used for compensatory afforestation as prescribed by the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Rules 2023.

The affidavit, filed by experts and former forest officials, was filed as a status report after the top court on February 3 directed that the government refrain from taking steps that lead to reduction of forests "unless a compensatory land is provided" for afforestation.

".it is respectfully submitted that the analysis of the minutes of the FAC meeting and those held by the REC, Ranchi after the order of 03.02.2025, as summarised above, clearly show that degraded notified fores...