Vidhi Codex

The Nagaland Forest Act,1968

The Nagaland Forest Act, 1968

Environmental196881 sections

This Act is the main law governing forest management in Nagaland, empowering the state government to declare land as reserved forests to protect natural resources. It defines what counts as forest produce, such as timber, animals, and minerals, and sets rules for their use. The legislation outlines the powers of forest officers and establishes a process for settling rights related to land and traditional practices like jhum cultivation. By regulating these areas, the Act aims to conserve the state's forest wealth and prevent illegal exploitation while balancing the needs of the people who rely on these resources.

Start reading →Read full ActSections
  1. 1. Title, extent and commencement
  2. 2. Definitions
  3. 3. Power to constitute reserved forests
  4. 4. Notification by State Government of proposal to constitute a reserved forest
  5. 5. Proclamation by Forest Settlement Officer
  6. 6. Bar of accrual of forest rights after proclamation
  7. 7. Inquiry by Forest Settlement Officer
  8. 8. Powers of Forest Settlement Officer
  9. 9. Treatment of claims relating to practice of jhum cultivation
  10. 10. Power to acquire land over which right is claimed
  11. 11. Order on claims to right-of-way, watercourse or pasture, or forest produce.
  12. 12. Provision for right of pasture or to forest produce admitted.
  13. 13. Commutations of such right.
  14. 14. Appeal from order passed under foregoing sections.
  15. 15. Appeal under the last foregoing section.
  16. 16. Notification declaring forest reserve.
  17. 17. Extinction of rights not claimed.
  18. 18. Publication of translation of such notification in neighbourhood of forest.
  19. 19. Power to revise arrangement made under section 12 or 15.
  20. 20. Acquisition of rights over reserved forest.
  21. 21. Alienation of rights in reserved forest.
  22. 22. Power to stop ways and watercourses in reserved forest.
  23. 23. Penalties for trespass or damage in reserved forests.
  24. 24. Acts prohibited in such forest.
  25. 25. Acts excepted from sections 23 and 24.
  26. 26. Penalty for offences committed by persons having rights in reserved forest.
  27. 27. Power to stop ways and watercourses in reserved forests
  28. 28. Constitution of village forest
  29. 29. Powers to make rules for village forest
  30. 30. Inquiry into and settlement of rights
  31. 31. Reserved trees in unsettled tracts
  32. 32. Protection of reserved trees
  33. 33. Protection of unsettled forest belonging to the Government
  34. 34. Penalties
  35. 35. Nothing in this Chapter to prohibit acts done in certain case
  36. 36. Protection of Forests for special purposes
  37. 37. Power to assume management of forest
  38. 38. Expropriation of forests in certain cases
  39. 39. Protection of forest at request of owner
  40. 40. Power to make rules to regulate transit of forest produce
  41. 41. Penalties for breach of rules under the last foregoing section.
  42. 42. All persons bound to aid in case of accident at revenue station.
  43. 43. Certain kinds of timber to be deemed the property of the State Government until title thereto proved.
  44. 44. Notice to claimants of timber of those kinds.
  45. 45. Procedure on claim preferred to such timber.
  46. 46. Disposal of unclaimed timber.
  47. 47. Payments to be made by claimant before timber is delivered to him.
  48. 48. Power to make rules and prescribe penalties.
  49. 49. Seizure of property liable to confiscation.
  50. 50. Power to release property seized under section 49.
  51. 51. Procedure on receipt by Magistrate of report for seizure.
  52. 52. Forest produce, tools, etc. when liable to confiscation.
  53. 53. Disposal on conclusion of trial for forest offence of produce in respect of which it was committed
  54. 54. Procedure when offender is not known or cannot be found
  55. 55. Procedure as to perishable property seized under section 49
  56. 56. Appeal for orders under sections 52, 53 and 54
  57. 57. Vesting of confiscated property in the State Government
  58. 58. Saving of powers to release property seized
  59. 59. Punishment for wrongful seizure
  60. 60. Penalty for counterfeiting or defacing marks on trees and timber and for altering boundary marks
  61. 61. Power to arrest without warrant
  62. 62. Power to prevent commission of offence
  63. 63. Power to compound offences
  64. 64. Compensation for damage caused by commission of offences
  65. 65. Forfeiture of leases
  66. 66. Cattle trespass Act 1871 to apply
  67. 67. Fines for impounded cattle
  68. 68. Investiture of forest Officers with certain powers
  69. 69. Forest Officers deemed public servants
  70. 70. Indemnity for Acts done in good faith
  71. 71. Forest Officers not to trade
  72. 72. Additional powers to make rules
  73. 73. Rules when to have force of law
  74. 74. Person bound to assist Forest Officer and Police Officer
  75. 74A. Confiscation of shares
  76. 75. Recovery of money due to the Government
  77. 76. Lien on forest produce for such money
  78. 77. Government and its Officers not liable for loss or damage in respect of certain forest produce
  79. 78. Land required under this Act to be decided for public purpose
  80. 79. Recovery of penalties due under bound
  81. 80. Repeal

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