Definition of Forests as per the Godavarman Case (1996):

• Case Background: The T.N. Godavarman v. Union of India case began in 1995 over illegal deforestation in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris, leading to a landmark 1996 Supreme Court ruling.
• Expanded Definition: The Court ruled that ‘forest’ includes all areas with forest-like features, not just those recorded as forest in official documents.
• Included Areas: This includes private lands, plantations, uncategorized jungle lands, and corporate forests with significant vegetation.
• Basis of Definition: It adopted the dictionary meaning of forest — “a large area covered chiefly with trees and undergrowth.”
• Legal Protection: All such lands, regardless of ownership, are protected under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
• Doctrine of Public Trust: The ruling applied this doctrine, stating the government must safeguard natural resources for current and future generations.
• Constitutional Links: The Court linked environmental protection to Article 21 (Right to Life) and Article 48A, which mandates the State to protect forests and wildlife.
• Impact: It brought millions of hectares of land under forest protection laws, creating a uniform national standard for forest classification and aiding conservation efforts.

1. It is located on the same latitude which passes through northern Rajasthan.

2. It has over 80% of its area under forest cover.

3. Over 12% of forest cover constitutes the Protected Area Network in this State.

Which one among the following States has all the above characteristics?

(a) Arunachal Pradesh* (b) Assam (c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Uttarakhand