Claims other than rights of way, watercourse, pasture or forest produce

In the case of a claim to a right in or over and land other than the following rights (a) A right of way; (b) A right to a water-course, or to use of water; (c) A right of pasture; or (d) A right to forest produce The Forest Settlement Officer shall pass an order specifying the particulars of such claim and admitting or rejecting the same wholly or in part Admitted claims (i) If such claim is admitted wholly or in part, the Forest Settlement Officer may (1) come to an agreement with the claimant for the surrender of the right; or (2) exclude the land from the limits of the proposed forests, or (3) proceed to acquire such land in the manner provided by the Land Acquisition Act, 1870. For the purpose of so acquiring such lands:- (i) the Forest Settlement Officer shall be deemed to be a Collector proceeding under the Land Acquisition Act, 1870 (ii) the claimant shall be deemed to be a person interested and appearing before him in pursuance of a notice given under section 9 of that Act. (iii) The provisions of the preceding sections of that Act shall be deemed to have been complied with; and (iv) The Forest Settlement Officer with the consent of the claimant, or the Court (as defined in the said Act) with the consent of the claimant and of the Collector of the district may award compensation by the grant of right in or over land, or by the payment of money, or both. Rejected Claims appeals (2) If such claim is rejected wholly or in part, the claimant may, within thirty days from the date of the order prefer an appeal to the District Court in respect of such, rejection only; provided, that the Government may, on just and reasonable cause for the same being shown, extend the period for such appeal within such further period as may seem proper, and an order or endorsement under the signature of one of the Secretaries to Government shall be sufficient authority for the said Court to entertain such appeal beyond the limit above specified. If the court decides that the claim or such part thereof as has been rejected should, be admitted, the Forest Settlement Officer shall proceed to deal with it in like manners as if it had been in the first instance admitted by himself. (3) When a claim has been admitted in the first instance wholly or in part, a like appeal may be preferred on behalf of Government by the Forest Officer appointed under section 4 or other person generally or specially empowered by the Government in this behalf.