Chapter IV Chapter IV

Protected Areas

1. (1) No

person, including the owner or occupier of a protected area, shall construct any building within the protected area or carry on any mining, quarrying, excavating, blasting or any operation of a like nature in such area or utilise such area or any part thereof in any other manner without the permission of the Government: Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall be deemed to prohibit the use of any such area or part thereof for purposes of cultivation if such cultivation does not involve the digging of not more than one foot of soil from thesurface.

1. (2) The Government may, by order, direct that any building constructed by the person within a protected area in contravention of the provisions of sub-section
2. (1) shall be removed within a specified period and if the person refuses or fails to comply with the order, the Director may cause the building to be removed and the person shall be liable to pay the cost of such removal.

If the Government is of opinion that any protected area contains any ancient monument or antiquity of any interest and value to the public, it may acquire such area under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (Central Act 1 of 1894), as if the acquisition were for a public purpose within the meaning of the Act.