Restriction on deitotifng of derttarcated forest or de-reservation or use of forest [and for rton-fomt pupose.

Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force-- (a) the Government shall not. ,e\cept on a resolution of the Council of Ministers-- (i) ,make or issue any order or noffication directing that any demarcated forest or any portion thereof shall cease to be a demarcated forest ; (ii) make any order directing that any forest land or any portion thereof may be used for any non-forest purpose ; (b) no officer of the Go\,ernment or other authority shall have power to make or issue any oaer or notificat~o~~ In respect of any matter specified in clause (a). E~ylartation-I--For the purpose of this section "non-forest purpose" means the breaking up or clearing of any forest land or portion thereof for-- (a) the cultivation of oil bearing plants, horticultural crops or medicinal plants ; (b) any purpose other than re-afforestation, but does not include any work relating or ancillary to conservation, development and management of forest and \i~ldl~fe, namcl!. the establ~shment of check posts. fire I~nes. \~rclcss. comnillnlcatlon and constniction of fenc~ng, bridges and cul\e~ts. dams, naterholds, trench nidrks, boundary marks, p~pc l~nes or other like purposes. Explartatiort &-For the purposes of this section "den~arcated forest" shall have the saliie meaning as assigned to il in the Forest Act. Sanivat 1987 (1923 A. D.) (Jamnlu and Kashmir/Act 11 of 1937)