Indian Forest Act of 1865

Indian Forest Act of 1865:

The Forest Act of 1865 gave the British government power to declare any land covered with trees as a Government Forest, the authority to control it, and rules to manage it. This gave the government undisputable power to regulate the forest and its pastures. The government mainly used the woods for manufacturing railway sleepers. Teakwood was also made government property by this law. The rights of Indian communities to forests were limited and authority was transferred to the British government. Forest land became extremely important since it could generate revenue and fulfil the growing demands of the expanding railway network. Timber supplies were limited so that’s why forest land needed to be taken by the British. Indian teak could also be used in shipbuilding which helped the British in the war with Napoleon. This act got rid of centuries-old traditional use by the local communities of the forests and gave the colonial British governments complete control over the forests....

Indian Forest Act of 1878:

With the Forest Act of 1878, the British government acquired the sovereignty of all wastelands which unfortunately included forests. The British could mark off forests as Reserved and Protected Forests. The locals couldn’t use the forests like they used to with some privileges remaining which could be rescinded at any time. The local villagers could not bring anything from the Reserved Forests for their personal use. They could only use the forest products from the village forests and Protected Forests for fuel or to build houses. All this was done to regulate the collection of forest wood. With certain activities illegal with fines and imprisonment, the British had control over the forests....

Indian Forest Act of 1927:

Under the British colonial government, the Indian Forest Act of 1927 focused on the controlled extraction of timber from the forests and not the conservation of forests. Just like other laws, the British Empire established laws to strengthen its colonial powers....