Arunachal Pradesh Forest Special Tiger Protection Forces Act, 2012
No: 2 Dated: Mar, 04 2013
The Arunachal Pradesh Forest and Special Tiger Protection Force Acl, 2012
(Act No.2 or 2013)
An Act to provide for the constitution and regulation of forces called the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Protection Force and Arunachal Pradesh Special Tiger Protection Force, for better protection and security of Forests, Forests Produce, Forest Infrastructure, Wildlife inside and outside the forests and Tigers and other wildlife in the Tiger Reserves, in the State of Arunachal Pradesh and matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Arunachal Pradesh in the Sixty-third Year of the Republic of India as follows:-
1. Short title, extent and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the Arunachal Pradesh Forest and Special Tiger Protection Forces Act, 2012.
(2) It shall extend to the whole of Arunachal Pradesh
(3) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government by notification in the Official Gazette appoints.
2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires ;
(a) "Governor" means the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh.
(b) "Government" means the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
(c) "National Tiger Conservation Authority" means National Tiger Conservation Authority, Ministry of Environment & Forests, and Government of India.
(d) "Force" means the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Protection Force, or the Arunachal Pradesh Special Tiger Protection Force constituted by the State Government under section 3 of this Act.
(e) "Forests" means Wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks, Conservation Reserves, Community Reserves as defined or notified under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Tiger Reserves, Reserved Forests, Protected Forests, Anchal Reserved Forests, Village Reserved Forests, Proposed Reserved Forests where preliminary notification has duly been published in the Arunachal Pradesh Gazette and the un-classed State Forests so constituted or defined under the Assam Forest Regulation, of 1891 or any area recorded as forests in the Government records including the area under various Social Forestry Plantations.
(f) "Forest Produce" includes -
(i) Timber, charcoal, wood oil, resin, natural varnish bark,lac, myrabolans, rhinoceros horns and anything found in or brought from a forest;
(ii) Trees and leaves, fruits and all other parts or produce, not herein before mentioned, of tree ;
(iii) Plants not being trees (including grasses creepers, reeds and moss) and all parts or produce of such plants;
(iv) Wild animals and skins, tusk and horns, bones other than rhinoceros horn, silk-cocoons, honey, wax and all other parts or produce of animals;
(v) Peat, surface soil, rock and minerals (including limestone, laterite, mineral oils and all produce of mines or quarries),
(g) "Forest Officer" means any person appointed by name or as holding an office by or under the orders of the Government to be a Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chief Conservator of Forests, Conservator, deputy Conservator, Assistant Conservator of Forests, a Wildlife Warden,Forest Ranger, Deputy Ranger, Forester, Forest Guard, Game Watcher, Forest Watcher, Mahut, Boatman or who discharges any function of a Forest Officer under the Assam Forest Regulation of 1891, and the Wildlife (Protection) Act. 1972,
(h) "Principal Chief Conservator of Forests" means the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests appointed under section 6;
(i) "Member of the Force" means a person appointed to the Forces other than a supervisory officer;
(j) "Member Secretary" means Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority.
(k) "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 Forces.
(l) "Prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act.
(m) "Wildlife", includes any animals, bees, butterflies, crustacea, fishes and moths, and aquatic or land vegetation which forms part of any habitat.
3. Constitution of the Forces. - (1) There shall be constituted and maintained by the Government,
(a) Force to be called the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Protection Force for better protection and security of forests, forest infrastructure, Forest Produce, Wildlife inside and outside the forests in the State of Arunachal Pradesh, and
(b) a Force to be called the Special Tiger Protection Force for the better protection and security of the Tiger, the Tiger Reserves, Forest infrastructure, Forest, Forests Produce and Wildlife inside the Tiger Reserves.
(2) The Forces so constituted shall consist of such number of supervisory officers and members who shall receive pay and other remunerations as may be prescribed.
4. Appointment and power of Supervisory Officers. - The Government may appoint any Forest Officer or Police Officer on deputation as supervisory officer to be the Commandant, Deputy Commandant, Assistant Commandant, and Platoon Commander of the Forces as may be prescribed and required from time to time.
5. Appointment of the members of the Force. - (1) The appointment of the members of the Forces shall rest with the Principal 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 Deputy Conservator as the Government may by order specify in this behalf,
(2) 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/Sub-Inspector or Assistant Sub Inspector,
(iii) Section Commander/Head Forester.
(iv) Special Tiger Guard/ Forest Constable
6. Certificate of the member of the Force. - (1) Every member of the Force shall receive on his appointment a certificate in a prescribed form under the seal of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests or such other Forest Officer as the Principal Chief Conservator 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 a Member of the Force.