Unauthorised felling of trees prohibited.

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code or in any other law for the time being in force in the State- (a) no person either by himself or through any other person shall, without the written permission of the Collector or any other officer or any Village Panchayat constituted or deemed to be a Village Panchayat under the Bombay Village Panchayats Act, 1958 duly empowered in this behalf by the Government, voluntarily fell, appropriate or damage, or cause to be felled., appropriated or damaged, any tree, or any portion thereof (b) any person who contravenes the provisions of sub-clause (a) shall, on conviction by a revenue officer not below the rank of a Mahalkari authorised by Government in this behalf, be liable to fine which may extend to Rs. 1,000 and which shall not be less than Rs. 50, unless the Revenue Officer inflicting such fine considers it improper, for special reasons to be recorded in wtiting, to inflict such minimum amount of fine. (2) Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall apply to the felling, appropriating or damaging any branch of babool tree for the purpose of using it or causing it to be used for cleaning teeth.