Chapter V Chapter V

Restrictions of felling and removal of trees and liabilities for preservation of trees

in any other law for the time being in force or in any custom or or usage or contract and except as provided in this Act or the rules made thereunder, no person shall fell or remove or dispose of tree or forest produce in any land, whether in his ownership or occupancy or otherwise, except with the previous permission of the Tree Officer: Provided that if the tree is not immediately felled, there would be grave danger to life or property or traffic, the owner of the land may take immediate action to fell such tree and report the fact to the Tree Officer within twenty-four hours of such felling.

1. (1) Any person desiring to fell or remove or otherwise dispose of by any means a tree, shall make an application to the to the concerned Tree Officer for permission and such application shall be accompanied by attested copies of the documents as may be prescribed in support of ownership over the land, the number and kind of trees to be cut, their girth measured at a height of 1.85 metres from ground level and the reasons therefor; survey sketch showing clearly the site and survey numbers of the property.
2. (2) On receipt of the application, the Tree Officer may, after inspecting the tree and holding such enquiry as he may deem necessary, either grant permission in whole or in part or for reasons to be recorded in writing refuse permission: Provided that such permission shall not be refused if the tree-
   • (i) is dead diseased or wind-fallen; or
   • (ii) is silviculturally mature provided it does not occur on a steep slope; or
   • (iii) constitutes a danger to life or property; or
   • (iv) constitutes obstuction to traffic; or
   • (v) is substantially damaged or destroyed by fire, lightning, rain or other natural causes; or
   • (vi) is required in rural areas to be cut with a view to appropriating the wood or leaves thereof or any part thereof for bonafide use for fuel, fodder, agricultural implements or other domestic use.
3. (3) The Tree Officer shall give his decision within sixty days from the date of receipt of the application: Provided that no permission shall be granted to any person from the same area on more than two occasions during the same year subject to a maximum area of one hectare at a time.
4. (4) If the Tree Officer fails to communicate his permission or refusal within the period specified under sub-section (3), the permission referred to in section 8 shall be demand have been granted.
5. (5) Every permission granted under this Act shall be in such form and subject to such conditions, including taking of security for ensuring regenerating of the area and replanting of trees or otherwise, as may be prescribed.

Every person, who is granted permission under this Act to fell or dispose of any trees, shall be bound to plant such number and kind of trees in the area from which the tree is felled or disposed of by him under such permission, as may be directed by the Tree Officer: Provided that the Tree Officer may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, permit lesser number of trees to be planted or trees to be planted in any different area or exempt any person from the obligation to plant or tend any tree.

Provided that the Tree Officer may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, permit lesser number of trees to be planted or trees to be planted in any different area or exempt any person from the obligation to plant or tend any tree.

1. (1) Every owner of land shall, within a period of two years from the date of commencement of this Act or within such extended period as the Tree Authority may specify in this behalf, plant trees in blank areas so as to conform to the standards specified by it under clause (c) of section 7.
2. (2) Where the Tree Office is of the opinion thaat the number of trees in any land is not adequate according to the standards referred to in sub-section (1), he may issue a notice to the owner of such land to show cause as to why trees as may be specified in such notice should not be planted in such land.
3. (3) The notice referred to in sub-section (2) shall be given in such form and shall contain such particulars and shall be served in such manner as may be prescribed.
4. (4) The Tree Officer may, after considering the cause, if any, shown by the owner of such land, direct him to plant such number and class of trees as may be specified in the direction.

(1) Subject to the provisions of section 14, it shall be the duty of the owner of the land to comply with an order made under section 9, or a direction issued under section 10 or section 11 and to plant trees in accordance with such an order or direction and to ensure that they grow well and are well preserved.

recovery of expenditure on failure to comply with them.-

1. (1) Every person who is under an obligation to plant trees under an order made under section 9 or a direction given under section 10 or section 11shall start preparatory work within thirty days of the date of receipt of the order or direction, as the case may be, and shall plant trees in accordance with such order or direction in the ensuing or following rainy season or within such extended time as the Tree Officer may allow and shall provide adequate and efective protection to the trees that exist or are planted in the land or the area from any damage.
2. (2) In case of default by such person, the Tree Officer may cause trees to be planted and may recover the cost of plantation from such person in the prescribed manner.

NotWithstanding anything contained in this Act or in any other law for the time being in force, the Tree Authority may, subject to such terms and conditions as it may specify in that behalf, after giving notice to the owner of the tree to show cause, if any, as to why the tree should not be given in adoption, allow, by a written permission, any body corporate or institution to adopt the tree for such period as may be specified in the permission and during such period, the said body corporate or institution shall be responsible for the maintenance and preservation of the said tree.

1. (1) An appeal shall be against the order or direction of the Officer under sections 9,10, 11 and 12 to the Appellate Authority within a period of thirty days: Provided that an appeal may be admitted after the expiry of the said period of thirty days if the appellant satisfies the Appellate Authority that he had sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within a period.
2. (2) Every appeal under this section shall be made by a petition in writing and shall be accompanied by a copy of the order or direction appealed against and shall be accompanied by a fee of rupees ten.
3. (3) In disposing of an appeal, the Appellate Authority shall follow such procedure as may be prescribed: Provided that no appeal shall be disposed of unless the appellant has been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard.