'No intention to change act,' says environment minister Javadekar as govt withdraws draft to amend Forest Act

New Delhi: Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday said that the government has withdrawn the draft of the amendment of the Forest Act to remove any misgivings about taking away the rights of the tribals and forest dwellers.

"Our government in the last 5 years has always worked in the interest of tribals and forest dwellers. To do away with any misgiving, we have decided to withdraw the 'draft' prepared for amendments to the Indian Forest Act, 1927. There is no intention to change the Act," he said while addressing a press conference here.

The minister said that the draft was not prepared by the government officially.

"We have also allocated millions of hectares of land to tribals by giving them ownership. There was an exercise by some officers to create a study. 11 States have done their own acts. Some officials had created a zero draft which was not a government draft. But they created and circulated it," he said.