Inquiry by the Forest Settlement Officer

(1) The Forest Settlement Officer shall take down in writing all statements made under Section 6 and shall at some convenient place in the locality, inquire into all claims duly preferred under that Section, and existence of any rights mentioned in Section 4 or 5 and not claimed under Section 6 so far as the same may be ascertainable from the records of Government and the evidence of any person likely to be acquainted with the same. (2) The Forest Settlement Officer shall also record any representation which the Forest Officer, if any, representing the Forest Department under Sub-Section (3) of Section 4 or the Divisional Forest Officer may in respect of any such objection or claim.