Section 71 in Himachal Pradesh Private Forests Act, 1954
71. Persons bound to assist Forest Officers.
(1)Every person who exercises any right in a Controlled Forest or who is permitted to take any forest produce from or to cut or remove trees or timber in or from, or to posture cattle, in such forest, and every person in any village contiguous to such forest who is employed by the Government, or who receives emoluments from the Government for services to be performed to the community, shall be bound to furnish without unnecessary delay, to the nearest Forest Officer any information he may possess respecting the commission of, or intention to commit, any forest offences, and shall forthwith take steps, whether so required by any Forest Officer or not -(a)to extinguish any forest fire in such forest of which he has knowledge or information;(b)to prevent by any lawful means in his power any fire in the vicinity of such forest of which he has knowledge or information from spreading to such forest and shall assist any Forest Officer demanding his aid,(c)in preventing the commission in such forest of any forest offence; and(d)when there is reason to believe that any such offence has been committed in such forest in discovering and arresting the offender.(2)Any person who being bound to do, without lawful excuse (the burden of providing which shall lie upon such person) fails-(a)to furnish without unnecessary delay to the nearest Forest Officer any information required by sub-section (1); or(b)to take steps, as required by sub-section (1) to extinguish any forest fire in a Controlled Forest; or(c)to assist any Forest Officer demanding his aid in preventing the commission in such forest of any forest offence, or where there is reason to believe that any such offence has been committed in such forest, in discovering and arresting the offender.shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both.
