Forest Rules 1979 (No. 1 of 1979).

These Rules apply to forests not included in a reserved or village forest. According to article 2 no person shall, for the purpose of cultivation, clear, or break up the soil of any forest except with the written permission of the competent officer. Further provisions of the Rules establish that no person shall quarry, collect or remove any stone, or coral or minerals in any forest except on a permit duly obtained for the purpose. The conditions set out in any permit issued under these Rules may include a condition requiring the permit holder to fill up any pit dug by him in the course of any of the acts authorized by the permit or to drain off any water collected in such pit into the nearest natural depression. In this case, the Government Agent or the Divisional Forest Officer may before issuing the permit require the applicant to deposit with him a sum of money equal to the estimated cost of filling up of draining off such pits. No person shall burn charcoal or lime or make bricks or tiles or cause any other person to do any such act, in any forest except on a permit duly obtained for the purpose or otherwise than in accordance with the conditions of such permit. Article 17 establishes the cases in which the competent authorities may allow free grants of scheduled or non-scheduled trees or timber, stone, coral, peat, surface soil, or minerals.