1 [(1) Any person who-
(a) fells, girdles, lops, taps or burns any tree reserved under Section 30, or strips off the bark or leaves from, or otherwise damages, any such tree; or
(b) fells any tree or drags any timber so as to damage any tree reserved as aforesaid;
or (c) permits cattle to damage any such tree, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees or with both.
(1-A) Any person who-
(a) contrary to any prohibition under Section 30, quarries any stone, or burns any lime or charcoal or collects, subjects to any manufacturing process, or removes any forest produce; or
(b) contrary to the prohibition under Section 30, breaks up or clears for cultivation or any other purpose, any land in protected forest; or
(c) sets fire to such forest or kindles a fire without taking all reasonable precautions to prevent its spreading to any tree reserved under Section 30, whether standing, fallen or felled or to any closed portion of such forest; or
(d) leaves burning any fire kindled by him in the vicinity of any such tree or closed portion;
or _______________________________
1. Substituted by Notification No. F 2 (11) Vidhi / 2 / 2014 [Act No. 8 of 2014] (w.e.f.04.03.2014) 16
(e) infringes any rule made under Section 32, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to twenty-five thousand rupees or with both.]
(2) Whenever fire is caused wilfully or by gross negligence in a protected forest, the 2 [State Government] may (Notwithstanding that any penalty has been inflicted under this section) direct that in such forest or any portion thereof, the exercise of any right of pasture or to forest producer shall be suspended for such period as it thinks fit, but no such order shall be passed without affording the persons concerned an opportunity to represent their case.