12. [ Right of ryot to trees in holding. [Substituted by the Madras Estates Land (Amendment) Act, 1934 (Madras Act VIII of 1934).]
(1)Subject to any rights which by custom or by contract in writing executed by the ryot before the passing of this Act are reserved to the landholder, every ryot shall have the right to use, enjoy, cut down, carry away or otherwise dispose of all trees now in his holding and in the case of trees which after the passing of this Act may be planted by the ryot or which may naturally grow upon the holding, he shall have the right to use, enjoy, cut down, carry away or otherwise dispose of them notwithstanding any contract or custom to the contrary.(2)It shall be open to a ryot on payment to the landholder of such compensation as may be fixed by the Collector on an application made to him in that behalf, to acquire the rights reserved to a landholder by custom or by contract in writing executed as aforesaid in any trees which were in the holding of the ryot before the passing of this Act:Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall be deemed to affect the rights of any third person or to entitle a ryot to acquire compulsorily the landholder's rights to any trees included in a tree-patta issued by him to a third person.]
