(1)Subject to all rights now vested in individuals and communities by law or custom or usage having the force of law, the Government may make rules to regulate the use of the pasturage or of the natural produce of any protected forest; and such rules may with respect to such forests-(a)regulate the occupation, clearing, ploughing or breaking up of land for cultivation or other purposes;(b)regulate or prohibit the kindling of fire and provide for the precautions to be taken to prevent and spreading of fire.(c)regulate the cutting, sawing, conversion and removal of trees and timber and the collection and removal of natural produce;(d)regulate the quarrying of stone, the boiling of catechu or the burning of lime or charcoal;(e)regulate or prohibit the cutting of grass or the pasturing of cattle and regulate the payments, if any, to be made for such cutting or pasturing;(f)regulate or prohibit hunting, shooting, fishing, poisoning of water and setting traps or snares;(g)regulate the sale or free grant of timber or other natural produce;(h)specify the fees, royalties, or other payments for such timber or other natural produce and the manner in which such fees, royalties or other payments shall be levied.(2)Whoever contravenes any rule made sub-section (1) shall be punishable-(i)in every case where such contravention relates to sandalwood or red sanders wood, with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three months but which shall not exceed one year and with fine which shall not exceed ten thousand rupees;(ii)in any other case, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees or with both.(3)The Government may, by notification and for reasons to be recorded in writing, exempt any person or class of persons belonging to the Scheduled Tribes from the operation of all or any of the rules made under this section.
