Keywords : Force, Forests, Forest Produce, Forest Officer, Chief Conservator of Forests, Supervisory Officer, Wild Life
An Act to provide for the constitution and regulation of a Force called the Assam Forest Protection Force for the better protection and security of the forests, forest produce and wild life of Assam
It is hereby enacted in the Thirty-Seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows :
1. Short title, extent and commencement. – (1) This Act may be called the Assam Forest Protection Force Act, 1986.
(2) It extends to the whole of Assam.
(3) It shall come into force at once.
2. Definitions. – In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-
(a) “Governor” means the Governor of Assam ;
(b) “Government” means the State Government of Assam ;
(c) “Force” means the Assam Forest Protection Force constituted under Section 3 ;
(d) “Forests” means reserved forests, protected forests, village forests, proposed reserved forests where preliminary notification has duly been published in the Assam Gazette, unclassed State forests so constituted or defined under the Assam Forest Regulation of 1891, any area recorded as forests in the Government records and also areas under various Social Forestry Plantations;
(e) “Forest produce” includes-
(i) timber, charcoal, caoutchouc, catechu, wood oil, resin, natural varnish, bark, lac, myrabolams, rhinoceros horns and anything found in or brought from a forest;
(ii) trees and leaves, fruits and all others parts or produce, not hereinbefore mentioned, of trees ;
(iii) plants not being trees (including grass creepers, reeds and moss) and all parts or produce of such plants ;
(iv) wild animals and skins, tusks and horns, bones other than rhinoceros horn, silk cocoons, honey, wax and all other parts of produce of animals ;
(v) peat, surface soil, rock and minerals (including limestone, laterite, mineral oils and all produce of mines or quarries);
(f) “Forest Officer” means any person appointed by name or as holding an office by or under the orders of the Government to be a Chief Conservator, Additional Chief Conservator of Forests, Conservator, Deputy Conservator, Assistant Conservator of Forests, a Wild Life Warden, Forest Ranger, Deputy Ranger, Game Keeper, Forest Guard, Head Game Watcher, Game Watcher, Mohout, Boatman or to discharge any function of a Forest Officer under the Assam Forest Regulation of 1891, and the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 ;
(g) “Chief Conservator of Forests” means the Chief Conservator of Forests appointed under Section 4 ;
(h) “Member of the Force” means a person appointed to the Force other than a supervisory officer ;
(i) “Supervisory Officer” means any of the Officers appointed under Section 4 and includes any other officer appointed by the Government as a supervisory officer of the Force ;
(j) “Prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act ;
(k) ” Wild life” includes any animals, bees, butter flies, crustecea, fish and moth, and aquatic or land vegetation which forms part of any habit.
3. Constitution of the Force. – (1) There shall be constituted and maintained by the Government a Force to be called the Assam Forest Protection Force for the better protection and security of forests, forest produce and wild life owned by the Government.
(2) The Force so constituted shall consist of such number of supervisory officers and members of the Force who shall receive such pay and other remunerations as may be prescribed
4. Appointment and powers of Supervisory Officers. – The Government may appoint a person to be the Chief Conservator of Forests and may appoint other persons to be the Additional Chief Conservator, Conservators, Commandant, Deputy Commandant, Assistant Commandant of the Force as may be required from time to time.
5. Appointment of the members of the Force. – (a) The appointment of the members of the Force shall vest with the Chief Conservator of Forests who shall exercise that power in accordance with the rules made under this Act:
Provided that the power of appointment under this section may also be exercised by such other supervisory officer, not below the rank of an Additional Chief Conservator as the Government may by order specify in this behalf.
(b) The designation and rank of the members of the Force shall be regulated by rules made under this Act and at the time of initial constitution shall comprise of-
(i) Company Commander/Inspector;
(ii) Platoon Commander/Inspector;
(iii) Havildar;
(iv) Constable.
6. Certificate of the members of the Force. – (1) Every member of the Force shall receive on his appointment a certificate in the form specified in the Schedule under the seal of the Chief Conservator of Forests or such other Forest Officer as the Chief Conservator of Forests may specify in this behalf by virtue of which the person holding such certificate shall be vested with the power of a member of the Force.
(2) Such certificate shall cease to have effect whenever the person named in it ceases to be member of the Force.
7. Superintendence and general administration of the Force. – (1) The superintendence of the Force shall vest in the Government and subject thereto the administration of the Force shall vest in the Chief conservator of Forests and shall be carried on by him in accordance with the provisions of this Act and rules made thereunder.
(2) Subject to the provision of sub-section (1), the administration of the Force, within such local limits as may be prescribed, shall be carried on by other supervisory officers in accordance with the provisions of the Act and/or any rules made thereunder and every supervisory officer placed in charge of the protection and security of forests, forest produce and wild life shall, subject to any directions that may be given by the Government in this behalf, discharge his functions under the general supervision, direction and control of the concerning Fores Officer of the territory.
