The Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976

Preamble

1976:KAR ACT 76 THE KARNATAKA PRESERVATION OF TREES ACT, 1976 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Statement of Object and Reasons Sections: CHAPTER I PRELIMINARY 1. Short title, extent and commencement. 2. Definitions. CHAPTER II TREE AUTHORITY 3. Establishment of the Tree Authority. 4. Meetings of the Tree Authority. CHAPTER III OFFICERS AND SERVANTS 5. Appointment of Tree Officer. 6. Appointment of other officers. CHAPTERJaCode DUTIES OF TREE AUTHORITY 7. Duties of Tree Authority. CHAPTER V RESTRICTION ON FELLING OF TREES AND LIABILITY FOR PRESERVATION OF TREES 8. Restriction on felling of trees. 9. Planting of adequate number of trees. 10. Planting in place of fallen or destroyed trees. 11. Preservation of trees. 12. Adoption of trees. 13. Recovery of expenditure on failure to comply with order for planting trees. 14. Appeal. CHAPTER VI PENALTIES AND PROCEDURE 15. Seizure of property. 15A. Powers of Tree Officer in the matter of investigations. 15B. Report by Tree Officer. 16. Power to release property seized under section 15. 17. Power to arrest without warrant. 18. Power to release a person arrested. 19. Power to prevent commission of offence. 20 Operation of other laws not barred. 21. Power to compound offences. 22. Penalty. CHAPTER VII MISCELLANEOUS 23. Rules. 24. Indemnity. 25. Investing Tree Officer with certain powers 26. Transit of felled materials. 27. Power of State Government and the Tree Authority to give irections. 27A. Exemption of certain areas from the operation of this Act. 27AA. Power of State Government to regulate the choice of species planted. 27B. Delegation of powers 28. Karnataka Forest Act, 1963 not affected. 29. Repeal of Karnataka Ordinance No. 14 of 1976. SCHEDULE I SCHEDULE II * * * diaCode STATEMENTS OF OBJECTS AND REASONS I Act 76 of 1976 .- Industrialisation and pressure of population have resulted in heavy destruction of tree growth in urban areas. Trees which provide shade, mitigate the extremes of climate, render aesthetic beauty, purify the polluted atmosphere, mute the noise, have been one of the first casualties of pressure on space in our cities and towns. The percentage of forest area in the heavy rainfall zone is very much below the required level. Denudation in the rest of the areas has catastrophic results. This is the zone forming the catchment of the major rivers in South India. Large scale felling of trees has resulted in increased soil erosion and floods during monsoons. Stream flow during the rest of the year is reduced. Sedimentation in the reservoirs of our multi-crore projects has increased. In the vast belt covered by the eastern districts of the State, drought and famine conditions have become recurring features. Rains have become erratic. Loss of soil moisture due to wind is excessive. Due to shortage of fuel, cow dung instead of being diverted as manure to the fields is availed as fuels. Avenue trees are destroyed. In this some judicious mixture of silviculture and agriculture can benefit agriculture and animal husbandry. Small number of trees, well distributed, grown in the marginal lands and on bunds of fields can be more effective than blocks of plantations. Trees of leguminous species can benefit agriculture by improving the soil, provide green leaf manure and fodder for cattle. It will provide small timber and fuel. We have reached the stage when it is incumbent to legislate to restrict and regulate the felling of trees and prescribe growing of a minimum number where none exists. (Published in the Karnataka Gazette (Extraordinary) Part IV-2A dated 8-11-1976 as No. 4417 at page 16.) II Amending Act 21 of 1977 .- As per sub-section (6) of section 8 of the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976 (Karnataka Act No. 76 of 1976), for bona fide domestic use of a family, any one or more members of such family are entitled to fell trees to the extent of fetching not more than two cubic meters of timber and one and a half tones of firewood. Several requests were made to Government fro

Sections

Type to filter. 65 sections.

1. 1Short title, extent and Commencement
2. 2Definitions
3. 3Establishment of the Tree Authority
4. 4Meetings of the Tree Authority
5. 5Appointment of Tree Officer
6. 6Appointment of other officers
7. 7Duties of Tree Authority
8. 8Restriction on felling of Trees
9. 9Planting of adequate number of trees
10. 10Planting in place of fallen or destroyed trees
11. 11Preservation of trees
12. 12Adoption of trees
13. 13Recovery of expenditure on failure to comply with order for planting trees
14. 14Appeal
15. 15Seizure of property
16. 15BReport by Tree Officer
17. 16Power to release property seized under section 15
18. 17Power to arrest without warrant
19. 18Power to release a person arrested
20. 19Power to prevent commission of offence
21. 20Operation of other laws not barred
22. 21Power to compound offences
23. 22Penalty
24. 23Rules
25. 24Indemnity
26. 25Investing Tree Officer with certain powers
27. 26Transit of felled materials
28. 27Power of State Government and the Tree Authority to give directions
29. 28Karnataka Forest Act, 1963 not affected
30. 29
31. 30
32. 31
33. 32
34. 33
35. 34
36. 35
37. 36
38. 37
39. 38
40. 39
41. 40
42. 41
43. 42
44. 43
45. 44
46. 45
47. 46
48. 47
49. 48
50. 49
51. 50
52. 51
53. 52
54. 53
55. 54
56. 55
57. 56
58. 57
59. 58
60. 60
61. 61
62. 62
63. 63
64. 64
65. 65

Rules made under this Act

1 set of Rules. India Code publishes Rules as a record and a document rather than as text, so these are indexed here and not reproduced. All Rules.