(1) Whoever fells or causes to be felled any tree or cuts, uproots or otherwise disposes of any fallen tree, in contravention of the provisions of section 4, or contravenes any condition of any permission granted under this Act, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to one year or with fine which may extend to five thoyusand rupees.or with both and until the plantation of requisite number of trees are undertaken, shall be fined for each day of default of fifty rupees .
(2) If any person, or development agency or the benevolent activists, or the entrepreneur of the promoter, as the case may be, fails to implement the plantation plan as approved under sub-section (4) of section 9, shall be punished 'with imprisonment which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees or with both .
12. No prosecution shall be instituted against any person in respect of any offence under this Act without the previous sanction of the State Government or such officer or authority as may be authorised by the State Government by order in writing in this behalf.
Offence by firm, company, institution etc.
Forfeiture of timber etc.
Power of seizure.
13. If the person committing an offence under this Act is a firm, a compagy,„an institution or an association or body of individuals, the firm, the company, the *notion or the association or the body of individuals as well as every person in charge of, and, esponsible 3 the firm, the company, the institutuion or the association or the body of individitals for the onduct of its business at the time of the commission of such offence shall he deemed to be guilty of such offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly :
Provided that nothing contained in this section shall render such person liable to any punishment provided in this Act, if he proves that the offence was committed, withoot his knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.