Sri Lanka Consolidated Acts

Forests Law (No. 13 of 1966)

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

           Long Title

   1.	   Short title  
   2.	   Questions of title  
   3.	   Order declaring forest reserved  
   4.	   Publication of Order in Sinhalese and Tamil  
   5.	   Power of forest officer to stop ways and water courses in reserved forest  
   6.	   Acts prohibited in such forests  
   7.	   Further prohibited acts. [ 3, 13 of 1966.]  
   8.	   Acts excepted from prohibition contained in sections 6 and 7  
   9.	   Power of Minister to suspend rights of pasture, &c, in certain cases  
   10.	   Forests reserved under former law  
   11.	   Application of Ordinance to leased forests  
   12.	   Constitution of village forests  
   13.	   Trees in Schedule I in a village forest the property of the Crown  
   14.	   Acts prohibited in village forest  
   15.	   Power of Minister to make regulations for village forests  
   16.	   Saving of private rights  
   17.	   Penalty for breach of sections 14 and 15  
   18.	   Reserved trees  
   19.	   Protection of reserved trees  
   20.	   Power to make rules generally  
   21.	   Penalties. [ 5, 13 of 1966.]  
   22.	   Exemptions  
   23.	   Protection from conviction in forest cases  
   24.	   Power of Minister to make regulations  
   25.	   Penalties. [ 7, 13 of 1966.] [ 7, 13 of 1966.]  
   26.	   Power of Government Agent to order a definition of boundaries in certain cases  
   27.	   Power of forest officer, &c, to examine timber in transit. [ 8, 13 of 1966.]  
   28.	   Inspection of private timber depots and timber yards. [ 9, 13 of 1966.]  
   29.	   All persons bound to aid in case of accident at any place where timber is detained or kept by any forest officer  
   30.	   Certain kinds of timber to be deemed property of the Crown until title thereto proved  
   31.	   Publication of notice as to, and claims to, timber collected under section 30  
   32.	   Procedure on claim preferred to such timber  
   33.	   On rejection of claim to such timber claimant may institute suit  
   34.	   Disposal of unclaimed timber  
   35.	   Payments to be made by claimant before timber is delivered to him  
   36.	   Power of Minister to make regulations and prescribe penalties  
   37.	   Seizure of property-liable to confiscation. [ 4, 30 of 1945.]  
   38.	   Procedure on seizure. [ 10, 13 of 1986.]  
   39.	   [ 11, 13 of 1966.]  
   40.	   Power of court to confiscate timber, forest produce, &c. [ 4, 30 of 1945.] [ 12, 13 of 1966.]  
   41.	   Disposal, on conclusion of trial for any forest offence, of timber or forest produce which was the subject-matter of the trial. [ 13, 13 of 1966.]  
   42.	   [ 14, 13 of 1966.]  
   43.	   Appeal from orders  
   44.	   Property when vested in the Crown  
   45.	   Powers of Minister to order release of seizure  
   46.	   Penalty for wrongful seizure  
   47.	   Penalty for counterfeiting or defacing marks on trees and timber, and for altering boundary-marks. [ 15, 13 of 1966.]  
   48.	   Power of forest officer, &c, to arrest without warrant  
   48A.	   Penalty for being in possession or use of forged documents for counterfeit or unauthorized marking hammers and presumption as to commission of offences. [ 16, 13 of 1966.]  
   49.	   Power of forest officer to prevent commission of offence  
   50.	   Operation of other laws not barred  
   51.	   Compounding of offences. [ 17, 13 of 1966.]  
   52.	   Presumption that timber or forest produce belongs to Crown  
   53.	   Offences to be triable summarily. [ 18, 13 of 1966.]  
   53A.	   Ejectment from Crown land. [ 19, 13 of 1966.]  
   54.	   Power of forest officer, &c., to seize trespassing cattle  
   55.	   Power of Minister to levy fines  
   56.	   Procedure if fine not paid  
   57.	   Power to shoot cattle on forest plantation  
   58.	   Appointment of Conservator of forests, &c  
   59.	   Power of Minister to invest forest officer with certain powers  
   60.	   Forest officers deemed public-servants  
   61.	   Indemnity for acts done in good faith  
   62.	   Forest officers not to trade  
   63.	   Control of forest may be delegated to Conservator  
   64.	   Additional powers to make regulations  
   65.	   Regulations when to have force of law  
   66.	   Powers of Minister exercisable from time to time  
   67.	   Persons bound to assist forest officer and police officer  
   68.	   Recovery of money due to the Crown  
   69.	   Lien on forest produce for such money  
   70.	   The Crown not liable for loss or damage in respect of certain timber  
   71.	   Disposal of property seized. [ 20, 13 of 1966.]  
   72.	   Property of Crown debtors under section 68 may be sold  
   73.	   Over plus to be restored to owner  
   74.	   Certificate of sale of immovable property  
   75.	   Certificate of sale in case of purchase by Crown  
   76.	   Crown may take credit for amount due from defaulter  
   77.	   Regulations and rules to be laid before the Senate and House of Representatives  
   78.	   [  21, 13 of 1966.]