27. Penalties for trespass or damage in Reserved Forests and acts prohibited in such forests.
(1)Any person who-(a)makes any clearing prohibited by section 7 ; or(b)sets fire to a Reserved Forest or a Forest proposed to be reserved under section 6, or kindles or leaves burning any fire in such manner as to endanger the same ; or(c)sets fire to jungles, or forests, other than Reserved Forests and forests proposed to be reserved under section 6, without taking precautionary measures to prevent the spread of fire into Reserved Forests; or(d)knowingly receives or has in possession any major forest produce illicitly removed from a Reserved Forest; or who, in a Reserved forest;(e)clears, cultivates or breaks up any land for cultivation or for any other purpose or puts up any shed or other structures or plants trees; or(f)damages, alters or removes any wall, ditch, embankment, fence, edge, or railing ; or(g)fells, girdles, marks, lops, taps, uproots, burns, saws, converts or removes, any tree the value of which exceeds one hundred rupees, or strips off the bark or leaves from or otherwise damages the same, shall be punished with Imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and With fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, in addition to such compensation for damage done to the forest as the convicting court may direct to be paid.Explanation. - For the purpose of this sub-section the forest produce enumerated in the schedule shall be deemed to be major forest produce.(2)Any person who-(a)knowingly receives or has in possession any forest produce other than a major forest produce illicitly removed from a forest ; or who, in a Reserved Forest-(b)kindles, keeps or carries any fire, except at such seasons and in such manner as the Divisional Forest Officer may, from time to time, notify ; or(c)trespasses or pastures cattle or permits or causes cattle to trespass ; or(d)fells, girdles, marks, lops, taps, uproots, burns, saws, converts or removes, any tree the value of which docs not exceed one hundred rupees, or strips off the bark or leaves from or otherwise damages the same ; or(e)clears, stones, burns lime or charcoal, or collects or subjects to any manufacturing process or removes any forest produce , or(f)in contravention of any rule made by Government, hunts, shoots, fishes, poiSons water or traps or snares ;(g)causes any damage by negligence in felling any tree or cutting or dragging any timber, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees or with both.(3)If any agricultural or other crop is grown or any shed or other structure is put up in contravention of clause (e) of sub-section (I) and any person is convicted for that offence, such crops, sheds or other structures shall be liable to confiscation by order of the convicting Magistrate.(4)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 Chief Conservator of Forests, Conservator of Forests, or the Divisional Forest Officer or of an officer authorised by any of them to grant such permission ; or(b)the exercise of any right continued under section 17 or created by grant or contract in the~manner described in section 22 :Provided that this section shall not be held to interfere with such working of the forest as may be ordered by the Chief Conservator of Forests, Conservator of Forests or the Divisional Forest Officer.
