Chapter III VILLAGE FORESTS

Constitution of village forests. (1) The State Government may, by notification, constitute any land at the disposal of the Government, a village forest for the benefit of any village community or group of village communities and may in like manner vary or cancel any such notification. (2) Every such notification shall specify the limits of such village forest.

(1) The State Government may make rules for regulating the management of village forests, prescribing the conditions under which the community or group of communities for the benefit of which any such forest is constituted may be provided with forest produce or with pasture, and their duties in respect of the protection and improvement of such forest. (2) The State Government may by such rules declare all or any of the provisions of Chapter II of this Act to be applicable to village forests.

Inquiry into and settlement of rights. All claims to any rights other than rights of the village community or group of village communities for the benefit of which such village forest is constituted, shall be inquired into, recorded and provided for in the manner laid down in Chapter II of this Act.

(1) For the purpose of Joint Forest Planning and Management of forest, the State Government may by notification constitute a Village Forest Committees in respect of a village or group of villages. (2) The Government may by rules provide for,— (i) the powers, duties and responsibilities of Village Forest Planning Committee; (ii) the conduct of elections to the Committee; (iii) qualification and disqualifications of Members of Village Forest Committee; (iv) the powers and duties of Forest Officer; (v) preparation and execution of management plans; (vi) protection, development and management of forest by the Committee; (vii) sharing mechanism, audit and accounts; (viii) appointment of administrators or administrative Committees; (ix) settlement of disputes; (x) monitoring and evaluation; and (xi) any other matter incidental thereto.