(1)No owner of any forest and no person claiming under him, whether by virtue of a contract, licence or any other transaction entered into before or after this Act comes into force, or any other person shall, without the previous permission of the [ Deputy Conservator of Forest] [Substituted by Act 20 of 2001 w.e.f. 5.9.2002.], cut or girdle trees or do any act likely to denude the forest, or diminish its utility as a forest:Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall apply to the removal of fallen trees or any act done for the usual or customary domestic purposes or for making agricultural implements for bona fide use of the owner.(2)Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the State Government may, by notification, and for reasons to be specified in such notification, exempt any class of forests, or class of trees or any forest produce therein from all or any of the provisions of this section.
