The Kerala Restriction on Cutting and Destruction of Valuable Trees Act, 1974 (No.7 of 1974)

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BE It enacted in tlu· T\\ t•llt\·-fifth Yt'lll' of the Republic or 
Ind1a a~ follo\\ <; -
1 .~ho1 t tdle and commetH cment.--,11 Tin~ .\ct rna:; he 
<·alled the K<'ral:l \gncultnral l 111\ (·rs1t~ ( \mendment) .\ct, I ~17 -L 
(:.! l It shall ue deemed to ha' e coml' mto force on thl' :.! II II 
day rof :\'o,ember. 1\1/:l 
2 \mendment 1/[ sect11m 61 - In .,ub-~ectwn (:21 of sechon hl 
ot the Knala Agncultur,ll Lnl\ er~tl: .-\ct I~)-; I ( '{;~ ol 19711 
(he1e1nalt<'r referred to a~ the pnnc1pal \ct). lor the \\Orcl" "t"o 
year-;' the "ord-, .. thrl'P yeat ., .. shall br snbshtuted 
.I Ue{Jeul and vwinu - ( 1) !'he 
1 Second \mendment 1 ( h dmance 
repealed 
Kerala \gncultur.il L n1vets1ty 
19/:; (IH o1 !tJ/3), IS lwrel>\' 
(21 l\ot\\tth~tandmg <;uch n·p('al <~n)thmg done or an) actwn 
t.tken under tire prlnClpal Act d" amended by the sa1d Ordmance 
~hall lw del'med to have been done or tnken unde1 the pnnc1pal 
,\( t as amended by this Act 
' Til[ KEK.-\1. \ HE~TRICTIO;'\; 0:\' ( L T'fl:\'(; .\:"JD DESTRI CTION 
or \'-\ LCABLF THEE~ \CT, I !JN 
(.-\ct 7 ul 1974) 
PteamiJle 
Sections 
CO~TE:\TS 
1 Short tttle e'\ tent and commencement 
2 Deflmbons 
:~ \ulhonsed utncers 
4 Restnctton regardmg cutting of 'aluable trees 
5 He.,tnction 1 egardmg <lestrudHm ol 'a luablc trees 
6 Re' •swn 
7 Penalt1e~ 
R ()ff('nCe'> l>~ compames 
() Po" ers ol authonsed otncer 
10 Po" ers ol entn and mspectwn 
11 Inslttutwn ol pro~l'cut10ns 
1 :!. Bar of SLnb 
t:~ lndemmh 
14 Po"er t~ make rules 
1.-~ Po\\ ('r to remm e dtfficu !ties 
16 Hepeal and Sm.ing 
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THE KER.\IA RE~THICTIOl\' 0:\ CLT IT\'G A~D DESTHCCTIO:\ 
OF \'ALL'AllLE THEES .\CT, 1!-l7-l __ _ 
(Act 7 of 1974) 
An :\ct to re~t1 ici the cuttmy and de~tructzon of certazn valuable 
t1ees zn 11rwate lands tn tile ~trtte of l\.e1ula. 
Preamble- \\'HERE\~ rt I!> constdereu ne<..e!>~ary to test11ct 
the < uttmg and dt>'>b uctwn of Cl'rtam 'al uable trees m pn v "te 
land-'> m the State of Kerala, 
BE 1t en,1ded 111 the T'' enty-fifth Yea! ol the Hepubllc ol 
Ind1a as follo,.vs -
1 .Short tztle, e:rterd rmd commencement -(1) 
he called the 1\:erala Hestnctw11 on Cuttmg and 
\'nluable Tree!> Act, 1 U74 
Tlus .\ct mdy 
Deo;tructton of 
(2) It e'l.tend<; to the "hole of thc State ol J(crala. 
(:1) It !>h,tfl be de<·med to ha' c come mto force on the nnd 
day of January, 1974 . 
2 Defimtzons -In tins .-\ct, unlE'"'> the contcll.t othen\lSt' 
'('qutres,-
(a) "authon-'>ed officer'' means :r11 oiTicer appmnted under 
sect1011 :-l, 
(b) "o" ner'", m relatwn to any land. mcludes 
lessee or olller person havmg nght to possessiOn nnd 
that land; 
a mortgarree ,., 
enJOyment oJ 
(c) ''plantation'' means any land used pnncipall~ lor the cultt­
' ,1t1on ol tea, coflee, cocoa rubber, cardamom or crnnnmon and 
tncludc:, lanrl'> mh'r'>pers<'d w1thm the houndarre-'> ol the area 
pnnCipally cultn <~ted wtth such crops; 
(d) "pre-,cJ rbed ' means prescnbed by rule[, mad(' undm tins 
\( t. 
(e) ··, aluable tree'' means sandalwood tree, rosewood tree 01 
leak tree 
:1 \ ut/wrrs.ed officer~ -The Go"emment may, by notlfkatwn 
m the (; a7ette. appornt such officers ns the~ tlun k fit to lw 
authonsed ofllce1 s for the purposes of thts -\ct and may a!>sign to 
them such local llmtts as they tlunk fit 
'Received the assent of 
1 G74 and published 
12th ~1arch 1974 
the Govetnor on 
m the Gazetle 
the 12th day of March 
Extraordmary No 277 dat<'d 
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4 Restnctwn regqr<fmg cuttim1 of ualuable trees- ( 11 :~u uwuer 
of an.' land ( mdudwg a plantat1on). and no person d:Hmwg 
under him or an.' other person. -.hall '' Itl10ut the pre' ious permts­
'-1011 ot the authoric;ed officer. cut an' sandal" ood tree or rose" ood 
t1 Pe from that land · 
( 2) ::\ o em ner of an.' plantat1on, and no pe1 ~on daiming under 
lum or any other person, shall, without tiH' JH'C\ .ouc; permisswn 
of the authon-;ed oflicer. cut am tt·ak trt'e from that plantahon 
.i Ue.\tnctwn rcuwdwq deslluctwn of uulua/Jie tree\.-- ( 1) ~o 
person ~hall, w1thout the pre' iou~ pcrmis~1on ot the authorb'Cd 
otncer. dec; troy any ~andal wood tree or rosewood tree or plant of 
any .,uch tree or do an' act wh1ch chmuushes the 'aluP ol an\ 
such tree or plant 
1 :?\ \"o person shall, "1thout the IH e' 1om permtsswn of the 
authon~>ed oflicer, dcstro) any teak tree or plant ol <;uch tree 
-.tandmg In a plantatiOn or do clOy act WhiCh d1mimshes the \ a)ue 
ot arn ~uch tree or plant 
fi Hev!:;ton- ( l) The GO\ crnment rna.), either qw m"t'' or on 
applicatiOn b~ any person aggne' ed, call fcn and c:-..amme the 
record of any onkr passed b' the authon-.ed oHicPr under sub­
~ecttOn ( l) or sub-sectiOn ( 2) of sectiOn 4 or unclcr sub-sectiOn ( l) 
or sub-!>ectwn (2) of sectwn 5, lor the pnrpo~e ot satisfying thcm­
seh es as to the legahty, propnety or rPgulanty of such order and 
pac;c; -.uch order thereon a-. they thmk fit 
(2\ The Go, PI nment shall no.t of their own motwn re' 1se any 
o1Cler under sub-sectwn ( 1) If that orckr has been passed more 
than three month., prevwusly 
(:~) An application under sub-sectum (1) by an aggneve<l 
pt'rson shall be made "Itlun a penod of h' o month-. 1 rom the date 
on which the onler m quPshon wa~ commumcat<'d to htm · 
-1 Pro' tded that lhc Gm ernment rna' aclm1t an appiic.ttiOn made' 
I nftcr the exp1n of the said peno<l of t" o months 1f they arf' 
~a.b'>ficcl that the applicant h.1d -.uffiClent cause I or not mnkmg the 
applicabon "1thin that penod 
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i-P -\n order rreJlldicial to a pe1son ~hall not he pa-.sc·d under 
-.uh--.ectwn ( l) unle~s that pe1 son has heen g1' <'11 a reasonablf' 
opportunity ol <,howmg cau~e agam.,t -;uch onlPr 
1·-Tpln.natitm- -\n unlcr <leclimng to interterP sh.1ll for the 
purposec; of th1s sub-sectiOn. be dPemed to hf' an order prquchcial 
to a perc;on 
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'"; i;ena/ttes -\\'hoe' e1 contravene::. the pro' •swn::. ol suiJ-
~ectwn ( 1) nr sub-sectwn 1 :!) of sl'ctwn 4: or sub sectton ( 1) 01 
sub-section (:!) of scctwn .) 01 .m} ol the term~ and con<hhon~ '>Uh­
jec.t to which a pt•rmisston has bePn gr:mtPrl under an~ ol the smd 
Jll o' Jswns, shall !Je pun•-.hal>le-
la) tn the casl' of a f1rst ollcnce \\Jth ImJHisonment lor a 
term "Inch ma) e'l.tend to SI'I. months, 01 w1th fine wluch 
rna~ «:'l.tent to fhe hundred rupees, or \\Ith both, d.nd 
(IJ) 111 the case ol .t second nr subsequent olfence, "tth 
1mpnsonmcnt £01 a term "luch ~hall not be less tlwn 
one month but \\Inch may < ... tend to :>1'1. months .111d 
'"1th fine "htch '>hall not be less than one tJwu-.and rupees 
but which may P'l.tend to five thousand rupees 
8 Offences btj ( omparlles.- (I) \Vhere an oil ence under tlus 
Act h.ts been <·ummttted hy .1 com pan), e' e1 y person who at the 
tm1e the of! enc(' was comnutted \\as 111 charge of, and "a::. respon­
sible to, the compan) for the umduct or 1t., busmess_ shall bP 
deemed to be gUJlty of the ollence and <>hall be hable to lw plo­
eeeded ag<tinst .md pu!"'l!-.h'ed accordmgl~ 
J>ro' tded th.tt nothmg m this o,ub-sectwn shall 1 endei an~ 
pl'r~on habk to pumshment 1! he prO\ es that tlJC' oflence "as 
comn11tted "rthout h1s hno\\ ledge or that he had nerused all due 
diligence to pre\ ent the commlsswn ot '>uch offcncP 
!~) :'l:otwtthstanduig an) tlung contamed m sub-sectwn (I) 
"here any oflence under tins \ct h.t'l hePn comillltted by ,, com­
parn and It 1s prO\ ed that the oil ence hds been commttt<·d "1th the 
con.,ent or t..:onnt\'anc<' of or ts attJ Jbntable to an~ negh·ct on tht· 
part ol .m, <lrrector manager. '>ecret.try or other ollicer of the 
comp.my. such dn pctor, mdnager ~ecrctm y or other ollice1 !>hall 
be deemed to be gmlh of tha,t oll encp and !>hall be hable to !Je 
proceeded aga1nst and pum'>hcd aeconllngl~ 
1~· rjJl(lnafwn- For the purpoSf''> ol tht., ~eLhon.-
( a J 'com pan~" means .my hoch corporate aud mcludes a 
fiJ 111, ~octety or other as~oc1<~hon of mdl\ Hluah, and 
(hl "dtrector ''-
II) 111 relation to a finn, mean., a partner m the firm. 
di) 111 l(•latwn to a SOCI<'h or otlwr as~ocJatiOn ot Indl\ 1-
duals- means the p<'rson "ho I'i entrusted under tlw 
rulps of the soc1ety nr othet a'>~Octatton, \\ 1th Uw 
management of the affairS or the ~OCll't~ OI other 
ao;sociatwn, as the CdSC m.t~ be 
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g /'()wen of outhon~ed of/leer --The authonscd ofl1rer shall 
101 tlH' purpo<><' of peri ormmg h1s functwns undet tins \ct ha' c 
c~ll the po" <·r~ of a Cl\ll court "lule ti)lllg a ~u•t under the Cod{' 
ol Ltvd Procedure 1903 (CC'ntral \ct :1 ot l\HI8), m 1espect ot 
the folio\\ 1ng matter<> namely -
(al sumnwnmg and cnforung the attendance ot an~ petson 
and C'Utll1111111g hun on oath 
lb) requmng the <ir'>CO\en and productwn ol any document, 
and 
l c) r <'Lel\ mg e' tden< <' on .tlllda' 1t 
I 0 Puwcr~ uf ('nt1 11 ttnd Ut~pc< twll.-Tiw authorrsed ollicC'r 
m .111~ other oOicer g<·Iwr:-~ll~ or ~pccrally authonsed b\ th<' 
(,o,t·•nment m thL'> h!'hall rna), \\lth such asst~t<mce (If any), 
hemg persons 111 the '>ei' 1ce ot the Government. as he th1nk~ fit 
at all rea.,onnhle lime'> <·nter upon an) l,tnd (mrluchng a plan.ta­
t!On I J or tlw purpo'>e ol asc<'ftammg "hrth<>r <tn~ of the pro· 1 
c,1on., ol tin~ \ct m any ol the terms and < orHhtwll'i '>ubject to 
"h1ch an~ pl'rll11SSIOI1 has been gr,mted under th1s ·\rt has bl'en 
nmt1 a\ ened 
II ln\ittutwn of flfii\Ctlltwm.- ~o prosccuhon ~h.tll be m:-.ti-
tnted against an~ pe• ~on "1thout the ~:mdion of the authorist·<l 
11fliCt'l 
1:! Har uj i>Ud\ ---No mdc1 ol thl' (10\etnnHnt or the autlwtiM~d 
vtlicer undt•t th1s ·\ct c;h.tll be llablC' to be qu('st10ned 111 any court 
ol Ia\\ 
I :1 /ndrmnth; -:\'o ~tnt. pro'>ecutwn 01 other legal JHOcel'dlllg 
shall he a~.nn~t the Go, ernmcnt 01 the autho11sed ofTicer or nm 
other pel'>on lot anylhmg \\lllch I'i 111 good fa1th done or purpollt•d 
to have !wen dotH' unde1 tlu~ Act or anY 1 ule made thereunder 
ll l'oti'CI to /1/([/,e 
< .1t1on 111 thr Gaz('tte 
ol thl'i \ct 
rule~-- ( 1) The (;o, e1nnwnt ma', II\ notill­
m.tl.e rule'> f01 earn tng out the purpos<'s 
llw 
(2\ In -pc11 ttculal ilnd "1thout prejudice to tJ1e (.!Cn<'raltty ol 
fot e!!mng power. ~uch 1 ulrs rna~ pro\ tde f Ol--
( :1) the g11 th ol tt ees "hlch may he perm1tt(•d to bl' cut 
(bl the t('rm-, and condlltom '-l.ll)jcct to "hicll peimts~I('Jil.., 
rna' ])(' gr.mtcd, 
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{c) the procedure to be lollo\\ cd b} the authon~ed ofliccr 
hef m·e grantmg pe1 mtsswn. 
(d) an~ other matter "luch has to IJc or ma) he prescniJed 
(3) E' c1 ~· rule made under this section .,hall he bud. as soon 
as rna' he after 1t 1s mdde. before th<' LPgl~latl\ e A~~embl~ while 
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it i'i in scsswn for a total penod of fourteen days "h1ch may be 
compnsed in one ~esswn or Ill two succe~'iive St'S'>IOilS and 1f bdore (/ 
the e"\pln nl the ~essron m "h1ch It is so laid or the sesswn 
immcdw.teh Jolla\\ mg. the L<'gishtlt\ t' -\s~embh makes any moch­
ficatwn m the 1ule or decidPs that the rule <.hould not be made, 
the rule shall thereafter ha"e ellect only J.ll .,uch modified form or 
be o.f no effect, as the ca~e may be: so ho"en•r that any such 
modtficat1on or annulment shall bP "1thout pre judie(' to the 'ali-
chty ol am th1ng JH e' 10usly done under that rule 
15. Pomer to remove rltfficu/tre, -If an~ chlnculty anse<; 111 
gn mg effect to the p1 O\ I~wm of th1s Act, the GO\ ernment may, d'> 
orca'ilon ma) teqmre b~ orrlPr, do anytlnng not mcon~istent '" tth 
such pro\l~Ions. wh1ch appeals .to them neccs~ar} I or the pUI pose 
ol rcmovmg thP difficulty 
16 Hepeal awl mvmg -- ( 1) ThP 1\cr.lla Hcstriction on Cutting 
.md Destruclton ol \'aluahle Trees Ordmance I9i4 (l of l9i4), IS 
hereby repealed 
( ~) NobHthstandrng such repeal, anythmg done or am a chon 
taken under the said Ord1nanrc ~hall be deemed to h:n e been done 
or taken undc1 th1s -\ct 
TilE KERU,A CO-OPEIUTl\ E SOCIETIES tA~lENDi\J[~T) 
\CT 1974 
Preamble 
Sections 
1 Short title 
( ·\ct 8 of 1!1i4) 
CONTEKTS 
2 I11scllwn of JH'" Chapter XA 
::J. Hepeal and savwg. 
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