WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The first Forest Act that was passed in India was in 1865, when the Imperial Forest Department tried to establish the control of British over the forests in India. By this Act, any land that was covered in trees was declared as a government forest.

Detailed explanation-2: -The 1865 Act empowered several local governments to declare certain areas as State Forests without in any way interfering with the rights of the people. As per the Act, government forests meant land covered with trees and brushwood or jungle.

Detailed explanation-3: -This Act classified the forests into three – reserved forests, protected forests and village forests.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Indian Forest Act of 1878 divided Indian forests into reserved forests (completely government controlled), protected forests (partly government controlled), and village forests (controlled by abutting villages).

Detailed explanation-5: -Fishing, hunting, collecting roots and fruits, grazing the cattle, and cutting wood became illegal activities. Due to the restrictions imposed by Indian Forest Act, villagers were compelled to steal wood by entering forests without permission.