The Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, 1967
andhra-pradesh · 1967
The scanned source for this Act is imperfect — headings or section boundaries may be off. Verify against the official source.
- S. 1Substituted by Act 15 of 2016, section 3
- S. 2Substituted by Act 15 of 2016, section 6
- S. 3Substituted by Act 15 of 2016, section 2
- S. 4Substituted by Act 15 of 2016, section 11
- S. 5Section 5 bars courts from hearing suits against the government for land or forest produce rights during specified notification periods.
- S. 6Proclamation by Forest Settlement Officer - (1) Where a notification 1
- S. 7Section 7 prohibits new rights, clearings, and fires in notified forest lands until government-fixed date.
- S. 8Section 8 mandates the Forest Settlement Officer to investigate claims and objections under section 6.
- S. 9Section 9 grants the Forest Settlement Officer powers to enter land, survey it, and summon witnesses for an inquiry.
- S. 10Section 10 outlines procedures for admitting or rejecting claims to rights over land, excluding certain forest-related rights, and acquiring land for forest purposes.
- S. 11Claims to rights of way, etc
- S. 12Section 12 provides compensation for rights when the Forest Settlement Officer finds it impossible to maintain them under section 11.
- S. 13Section 13 outlines the appeal process for rejected or partially admitted forest claims to the district court.
- S. 14Section 14 allows the government or claimants to appoint a pleader to represent them in proceedings under the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, 1967.
- S. 15Section 15 declares a forest reserved after objections and appeals are resolved and lands acquired.
- S. 16Section 16 voids unclaimed rights in forests unless the claimant justifies delay to the Forest Settlement Officer.
- S. 17Section 17 prohibits acquiring rights over reserved forests except through succession or government-approved written grants or contracts.
- S. 18Section 18 prohibits alienation of rights under section 11 without government sanction, except when tied to land or building.
- S. 19The Divisional Forest Officer can close public or private ways and watercourses in reserved forests with government approval if a suitable alternative exists.
- S. 20Section 20 penalizes trespass, fire setting, and damaging reserved forests in Andhra Pradesh.
- S. 21The section allows the government to suspend pasture and forest produce rights in affected areas after willful or negligent forest fires.
- S. 22Section 22 mandates individuals in or near reserved forests to assist forest and police officers in preventing and reporting forest fires and offenses.
- S. 23Section 23 allows the government to declare a reserved forest no longer reserved by notification.
- S. 24Section 24 allows the government to declare certain forests or wastelands as protected forests by notification.
- S. 25The section allows the government to close protected forests against cattle grazing if fire is caused, and penalizes trespassing with fines or imprisonment.
- S. 26Power to issue notification reserving trees, etc
- S. 27Section 27 empowers the government to make rules regulating forest use, including cultivation, fire, timber, and pasturage, with penalties for violations.
- S. 28The section allows the government to revoke protected forest status by notification.
- S. 29Section 29 empowers the government to create rules for regulating timber and forest produce transit in the state.
- S. 30Government and forest officers are not liable for damage to forest produce at depots unless caused negligently, wilfully, maliciously, or fraudulently.
- S. 31Section 31 mandates employees at depots and stations to assist forest or police officers in preventing or mitigating property damage in emergencies.
- S. 32Section 32 restricts possession of sandalwood and Red Sanders wood to licensed amounts, with exceptions and refusals based on past offenses or violations.
- S. 32A—
- S. 32BSection presumes vehicle owner liable for forest offense if vehicle is involved in smuggling specified woods.
- S. 32CSection presumes guilt for forest offenses involving Red Sanders, Sandal, or Scheduled Trees, shifting burden to accused to prove innocence.
- S. 32DSection 32D mandates private Red Sanders Wood holders to declare stocks to a forest officer or face penalties, and allows sale with proper documentation.
- S. 32EPower to Amend Schedule -(1)The Government may, by notification, add to any tree or to omit any tree from the Schedule
- S. 33Section 33 outlines the government's authority to create rules for licensing applications, terms, conditions, and fees.
- S. 34Section 34 allows the Divisional Forest Officer to cancel or suspend forest licenses for non-compliance with the Act or rules.
- S. 35Section 35 allows appeals against forest license decisions and imposes penalties for illegal possession of protected woods.
- S. 36—
- S. 37Section 37 declares certain timber found adrift or unmarked as government property until ownership is proven.
- S. 38Section 38 mandates the publication of a notice for claimants to present their claims on collected timber within two months.
- S. 39Section 39 outlines the procedure for handling claims on timber in Andhra Pradesh's forest areas.
- S. 40Section 40 determines that unclaimed timber ownership vests in the government or the person it's delivered to, free from encumbrances.
- S. 41Government and officers are not liable for timber damage collected under section 37 unless caused negligently, wilfully, maliciously, or fraudulently.
- S. 42Section 42 mandates claimants to pay dues before receiving timber collected or delivered under the act.
- S. 43Section 43 empowers the government to make rules for timber management and prescribes penalties for violations.
- S. 44Section 44 authorizes forest and police officers to seize timber, tools, and other property used in forest offenses and mandates procedures for handling the seized items.
- S. 45Timber, forest produce, tools, etc
- S. 46Section 46 directs disposal of confiscated timber or forest produce after trial for forest offence.
- S. 47Section 47 allows confiscation of seized property if the forest offence offender is unknown or untraceable.
- S. 48Section 48 outlines the procedure for selling perishable property seized under section 44, directing proceeds to the government treasury.
- S. 49Section 49 allows appeals against orders related to seized property to be heard by the appropriate court or authority.
- S. 50Section 50 vests government ownership of confiscated property in the state, free from encumbrances, after final orders or appeals.
- S. 51Section 51 allows the Divisional Forest Officer to release seized property under certain conditions, aligning with criminal procedure code provisions.
- S. 52Section penalizes counterfeiting or altering forest marks and boundary marks with imprisonment and fine.
- S. 53Section 53 authorizes forest officers to arrest without a warrant for suspected forest offenses, with a 24-hour limit for magistrate review.
- S. 54Section 54 allows forest officers to release arrested persons on bond, requiring two sureties unless otherwise specified.
- S. 55Section penalizes forest or police officers for wrongful seizure or arrest under the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, 1967.
- S. 56Section empowers forest and police officers to prevent and take steps against forest offenses.
- S. 57—
- S. 58Section 58 allows prosecution under other laws for forest offenses, with no double punishment.
- S. 58A—
- S. 59Section 59 allows forest officers to accept fines instead of prosecuting for certain forest offenses, with specific monetary limits.
- S. 60Section presumes forest produce government property unless proven otherwise and bans holding illegally acquired forest property.
- S. 60AProhibition of holding illegally acquired property and forfeiture of such property
- S. 60BSection 60B mandates authorized officers to investigate and identify illegally acquired property upon complaint.
- S. 60CSection 60C allows officers to seize or freeze illegally acquired property to prevent its disposal during investigations.
- S. 60DSection 60D authorizes the State Government to appoint forest officers as Administrators to manage and dispose of seized or forfeited properties.
- S. 60ESection 60E allows the competent authority to serve a notice to a person to show cause against properties believed to be illegally acquired.
- S. 60FSection 60F allows the competent authority to declare illegally acquired properties as forfeited to the State Government after due process.
- S. 60GSection 60G allows the state to fine instead of forfeiting part of illegally acquired property if the source of only part is unproven.
- S. 60HSection 60H mandates the competent authority to investigate and serve notices on trust authors or contributors regarding illegally acquired trust properties.
- S. 60I—
- S. 60JThe Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, 1967 allows the State Government to form an Appellate Tribunal to hear appeals against certain forfeited property orders.
- S. 60KSection 60K allows aggrieved parties to appeal forest-related orders to the Appellate Tribunal within 45 days, with a possible extension.
- S. 60LSection 60L states that any errors in property or person descriptions in notices or orders under the act do not invalidate them if identifiable.
- S. 60MSection 60M prohibits appeals against orders under the act and limits jurisdiction of civil courts in forest matters.
- S. 60NSection 60N of the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, 1967 grants the competent authority and appellate tribunal powers equivalent to a civil court for legal proceedings.
- S. 60O—
- S. 60PCertain officers to assist the administrator competent authority and the Appellate Tribunal
- S. 60Q—
- S. 60RThe section allows the competent authority or Appellate Tribunal to correct mistakes in orders within a year, provided affected persons are given a hearing if changes are prejudicial.
- S. 60SFindings under other laws do not determine proceedings under the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, 1967.
- S. 60TSection 60T outlines methods for serving notices or orders under the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, 1967.
- S. 60USection penalizes acquiring property involved in pending proceedings under the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act with up to five years imprisonment and a fine.
- S. 61Section 61 allows cattle trespassing in forest areas to be treated as damaging public plantations, enabling seizure under the Cattle Trespass Act.
- S. 62Section 62 empowers the government to grant forest officers various investigative and enforcement powers for forest offences.
- S. 62AForest Offences to be cognizable and nonbailable
- S. 63Section 63 deems all forest officers in Andhra Pradesh as public servants under the Indian Penal Code.
- S. 64Section 64 allows forest officers to enter and inspect private forests to check for violations of the Act.
- S. 65Indem for acts done in good faith - No suit or criminal prosecution 1 Substituted by Act 15 of 2016, section 23
- S. 66Section 66 allows the government to review and modify forest officer decisions if they find irregularities, ensuring due process and a 90-day application window.
- S. 67The Government can exempt any area from the Act's provisions by notification, without affecting prior actions or penalties.
- S. 68Section 68 empowers the government to create rules to implement the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, including regulations on forest officer duties, hunting, and tree management.
- S. 69The Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, 1967 allows the government to delegate certain powers to forest officials.
- S. 70Section 70 allows the recovery of government dues from forest produce and related contracts as land revenue arrear.
- S. 71Section 71 deems land required for the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act purposes as needed for public purposes under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.
- S. 72Repeal THE ANDHRA PRADESH FOREST ACT, 1967 Act No