Notification by State Government of proposal to constitute a reserved forest

(1) Whether it is proposed to constitute any land into reserved forest, the State Government shall publish a notification in the Official Gazette – (a) specifying a s nearly as possible the situation and limits of such land; (b) declaring that it is proposed to constitute such land as a reserved forest; and (c) appointing an officer (hereinafter called the Forest Settlement Officer) to inquire into determine the existence, nature, and extent of any rights claimed by, or alleged to exist in favour of, any person in or over land comprised within such limits, and claims relating to the practice within such limit of jhum cultivation, and to deal with the same as provided in this Chapter. (2) The Forest Settlement Officer shall ordinarily be a person other than a Forest Officer, but a Forest Officer may be appointed by the State Government to assist the Forest Settlement Officer in the inquiry prescribed by this Chapter.