Section 3(5) in Kerala Forest (Regulation of Sawmills and Other Wood-based Industrial Units) Rules, 2012
(5)No sawmill or other wood based industrial unit established after 30th October, 2002 except the sawmill or other wood based industrial unit owned by the Government or exclusively using rubber wood or the small scale furniture unit, shall be granted licence to function within a radial distance of five kilometres from the nearest boundry of any forests owned by Government and having an extent of and above forty hectares :Provided that the above restriction shall not apply to a sawmill or other wood based industrial unit which is functioning within a radial distance of five kilometres from the boundary of Reserved Forest areas which were transferred by Government for non-forest purposes and non revertible forest lands which have not been dis-reserved by a notification.
