Forests Current Affairs for UPSC (GS Paper III)

October 2026

• 10 Oct 2026

  Bamboo Replaces Illicit Poppy Cultivation Across Manipur Jungles

  In Manipur, forest authorities have successfully developed bamboo plantations across 255 hectares of forestland previously cleared for illegal poppy cultivation in three hill districts. The initiative aims to restore degraded forest...

• 06 Oct 2026

  Supreme Court refuses stay on Great Nicobar project

  The Supreme Court of India has declined to stay the ongoing legal proceedings against the multi-billion dollar Great Nicobar infrastructure project. Petitions in the Calcutta High Court argue that the diversion of over 130 square...

September 2026

• 21 Sep 2026

  Pygmy Hog Conservation and Ecosystem Restoration

  The conservation programme for the critically endangered pygmy hog in Assam highlights the essential link between species survival and habitat restoration. As the world's smallest wild pig, the pygmy hog relies on healthy tall grassland...

• 17 Sep 2026

  Rajasthan Advances Aravali Green Development Project Targets

  Rajasthan achieved its targeted plantation goals ahead of schedule under the Aravali Green Development Project. Supported by an investment of Rs 250 crore across 19 districts, the initiative prioritizes soil restoration and extensive...

• 14 Sep 2026

  Endangered Pygmy Hog Population Shows Recovery in Assam

  The population of the endangered pygmy hog, the world's smallest wild pig, has increased from six individuals in 1996 to 194 today in Assam. The recovery is the result of a dedicated captive breeding and reintroduction project managed...

• 11 Sep 2026

  Supreme Court and Ministry Highlight Gram Sabha Consent Under Forest Rights Act

  Recent discussions surrounding the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, have brought attention back to the authority of local Gram Sabhas. Debates centered on whether Gram Sabha consent is mandatory before forest land...

August 2026

• 23 Aug 2026

  Assam Uses Biochar from Invasive Plants to Restore Elephant Habitat

  Environmentalists in Assam's Udalguri district have initiated a forest restoration project across two hectares in the Khalingduar Reserve Forest using biochar made from invasive plant species. Supported by the International Elephant...

• 21 Aug 2026

  CAG Audit Highlights Flaws in National Mission for a Green India

  A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit of the National Mission for a Green India (GIM) revealed that execution has heavily prioritized tree plantation counts over holistic ecosystem restoration. The audit noted significant...

• 20 Aug 2026

  Odisha Inquires Into Tribal Relocation from Tiger Reserve Habitats

  Following directions from the Odisha Human Rights Commission, the Odisha government has constituted an inquiry committee to examine allegations of forced relocation of villages from tiger habitat areas. Villagers alleged that their...

• 18 Aug 2026

  Protecting Elephants Boosts Forest Carbon Storage

  A new ecological study underscores that megaherbivores like Asian elephants play a crucial role in maintaining tropical forest carbon sinks. As ecosystem engineers, elephants consume understory vegetation and disperse seeds of large,...

• 17 Aug 2026

  Implementation Hurdles Impact Forest Rights Act in Agasthyamalai

  Recent eviction notices issued in the Agasthyamalai region have sparked criticism over procedural misinterpretations of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006. Authorities have reportedly demanded proof of three-generation occupancy prior to...

• 02 Aug 2026

  Jammu and Kashmir Speeds Up Forest Rights Act Implementation

  Jammu and Kashmir has accelerated the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006. This comes after conflicts between the elected government and the forest department over eviction drives in tribal areas of Jammu. The...

July 2026

• 29 Jul 2026

  Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves (TOTR) initiative gains momentum

  The Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves initiative is being implemented to establish a landscape-based framework for conservation. It seeks to protect tigers migrating through corridors while ensuring the safety and livelihoods of human...

• 19 Jul 2026

  Supreme Court Clears India's First Night Safari in Kukrail

  The Supreme Court has given the final go-ahead for India's first night safari project in the Kukrail forest region of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Designed as an eco-tourism and wildlife preservation hub, the initiative aims to maintain...

• 17 Jul 2026

  Digital portal to map India's diverse tree wealth

  A new digital resource titled "India Trees and Vegetation Types" has been launched to integrate nationwide knowledge on tree species into a single platform. Developed by experts including researchers from the Indian Institute of Science...

• 16 Jul 2026

  Assam Proposes Wild Elephant Domestication Study to End Conflicts

  The 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly has discussed a proposal to study the revival of wild elephant domestication as a method to mitigate escalating human-elephant conflicts. State legislators argued that trained domestic elephants...

• 11 Jul 2026

  Invasive Plants Threaten Grasslands in Manas Tiger Reserve

  Data from the Forest Department of Assam's Bodoland Territorial Council indicates that Manas Tiger Reserve has lost 43.59 percent of its grassland cover over the last 30 years. The primary driver of this ecological loss is the rapid...

• 07 Jul 2026

  Large-scale Forest Encroachment Cleared in Assam

  The Forest Minister of Assam informed the State Assembly that over 25,588 hectares of encroached land across eight wildlife sanctuaries and 281 reserve forests have been successfully cleared since 2016. Despite these efforts,...