21. Penalties for trespass or damage in reserved forests, and acts prohibited in such forests.
- 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)tresspasses or pastures cattle, or permits cattle to tresspass;(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, bums lime or charcoal, or collects, subject to any manufacturing process, or removes any forest-produce;(g)dears, cultivates or breaks up any land for cultivation or any oilier purpose; or(h)in contravention of any rules made by the [Government] [The words 'Provincial Government', were substituted for the words 'Governor in Council' by the Adaptation Order of 1937 and the word 'Provincial' was omitted by the Adaptation (Amendment) Order of 1950.], hunts, shoots, fishes, poisons water or sets traps or snares;(i)damages, alters or removes any wall, ditch, embankment, fence, hedge or railing;[shall, in addition to such compensation for damage done to the forest as the convicting Court may direct to be paid, be punished -] [Substituted for the words 'shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both, in addition to such compensation for damage done to the forest as the convicting court may direct to be paid' by section 2 of the Tamil Nadu Forest (Amendment) Act, 1961 (Tamil Nadu Act 36 of 1961).](1)[ in any case where any of the acts aforesaid relates to any scheduled timber, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to [five years] [Substituted by Tamil Nadu Forest (Amendment) Act, 1979 (Tamil Nadu Act 45 of 1979).] and with fine which may extend to [twenty thousand rupees] [Substituted for the words 'ten thousand rupees' by the Tamil Nadu Forest (Amendment) Act, 1972.].Provided that, -(a)for a first offence, the term of such imprisonment shall not be less than [two year] [Substituted for the words 'one year' by the Tamil Nadu Forest (Amendment) Act, 1972 (Tamil Nadu Act 44 of 1992).] and such fine shall not be less than [seven thousand and five hundred rupees] [Substituted for the words 'three thousand rupees' by the Tamil Nadu Forest (Amendment) Act, 1972 (Tamil Nadu Act 44 of 1992).];(b)for a second or subsequent offence, the term of such imprisonment shall not be less than [three years] [Substituted for the words 'two years' by the Tamil Nadu Forest (Amendment) Act, 1972 (Tamil Nadu Act 44 of 1992).] and such fine shall not be less than [fifteen thousand rupees] [Substituted for the words 'five thousand rupees' by the Tamil Nadu Forest (Amendment) Act, 1972 (Tamil Nadu Act 44 of 1992).];(2)in any other case, with imprisonment for a term which may extent to six months or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.Acts exempted from prohibition contained. - Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit-(a)any act done in accordance with any rule made, by the Government or with the permission in writing of the District Forest Officer, or of an officer authorised 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.
