State Act

TAMIL NADU FOREST ACT - 1882

21. Any person who- (a) makes any fresh clearing prohibited by section 7 ; or (b) sets fire to a reserved forest, or kindles, or leaves burning, any fire in such manner as to endanger the same; or who, in a reserved forest,- (c) kindles, keeps or carries any fire except at such season and in such manner as the District-forest-officer may from time to time notify; (d) trespasses, or pastures cattle, or permits cattle to trespass ; (e) fells, girdles, marks, lops, taps, uproots or burns any tree, or strips off the bark or leaves from, or otherwise damages, the same; (f) quarries stone, burns lime or charcoal, or collects, subjects to any manufacturing process, or removes any forest-produce; (g) clears, cultivates or breaks up any land for cultivation or any other purpose; or (h) in contravention of any rules made by the 1[Government] hunts, shoots, fishes, poisons water or sets traps or snares; (i) damages, alters or removes any wall, ditch, embankment, fence, hedge or railing; 1[shall, damage done to the forest as the convicting court may direct to be paid, be punished - (1) 2in any case where any of the acts aforesaid relates to any scheduled timber, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 1[five years] and with fine which may extend to 1[twenty thousand rupees]. Provided that, - (a) for a first offence, the term such imprisonment shall not be less than 1[two years] and such fine shall not be less than 1[seven thousand five hundred rupees]; (b) for a second or subsequent offence the term of such imprisonment shall not be less than 1[three years] and such fine shall not be less than 1[fifteen thousand rupees]. (2) in any other case, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.] Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit- (a) any act done in accordance with any rules made by the Government or with the permission in writing of the District-forest-officer, or of an officer authorized by him to grant such permission ; or (b) the exercise of any right continued under section 12 or created by grant or contract in the manner described in section 18: Provided that this section shall not be held to interfere with such working of the forest as may be ordered by the District-forest-officer.