MISCELLANEOUS

This prices of the different crops obtaining in each assessment circle at harvest time are entered in the crop abstracts in the circle note-book in accordance with reports received from district kanugos. A register of the retail price at headquarters of the same crops and of salt and firewood is kept up by the district Kanungo. The prices recorded are those current on the fifteenth and the last day of each month . From the register a return showing the retail prices of some of the chief staples and of slat and firewood is compiled and sent to the Director of Land Records on the 1^st and 16^th of each month. An officer not below the rank of Extra Assistant Commissioner, either the Treasury officer or some other member of the staff whose work ordinarily keeps him  at headquarters, should be made responsible for checking the figures of retail and wholesale prices in the returns , and each price current should bear his attestation (Government of India Revenue Department , No. 6-150, dated 20^th March, 1872). Through the prices recorded are only those of particular  days , it is his duty to keep himself  informed from day to day of all variations in the market.

In districts where there is a Cantonment the same officer should be made responsible for the preparation of the monthly lists of bazar prices furnished to the Indian Army service Crops.

Their accuracy is a matter of great importance , as they may be used as the authority for the payment to Indian troops of compensation for dearness provisions. (For detailed instructions as to price lists see Financial Commissioner’s Standing Order. No. 39. ) A copy of the military bazar prices current is sent monthly to the Director  of Land records for scrutiny.

The industrial surveyors working under the control of the Director of Industries , Punjab , will also check the records of retail prices at  the head quarters of districts once a month. They will report the result of their check to the tahsildar and will not give any directions to the revenue staff, whose responsibility will remain unimpaired.

820.   Locusts. Locusts are frequently seen in the province, but as a rule they speedily disappear after doing an amount of damage  which , through it may be small in proportion to the total out-turn , may be very serious for the cultivators whose crops have been attacked . In some seasons, however, vast swarms invade the province, and commit widespread devastation. Their  power of multiplication is enormous. Whenever locusts are observed in a district measures should be taken to ensure.

1. that the laying and hatching of eggs shall be promptly reported and
2. that measures shall at once be taken for the destruction of the eggs and of the young nymphs when hatched.

An account of the history of locusts  with detailed instructions as to the best means of destroying  their eggs and the young insects before they acquire wings will be found in appendix V.

Once the locusts have begun to fly no measures hitherto devised appears to be really effective. The use of airplanes to drop dust powder has not been tried in the Punjab. Flame guns can be used to kill the insects as they are resting at night but this measure is obviously of very limited value.

821.  Carriage and supplies for troops. The rules for the provisions of carriage and supplies to troops on the march will be found in Financial Commissioners Standing Order  No. 58 . IN carrying them out a good deal of care and tact is required to ensure on the one hand that nothing taken without payment and on the other that the reasonable requirements of regiments are met. It is important that civil official should be the medium of communication between officers commanding troops on the march and the country people, No definite rule on the subject can be laid down; but Deputy Commissioners must invariably accredit to the commanding officer an official of sufficient standing powers and intelligence to accompany troops on the march or if the number of the troops is small to be present at each encamping ground on their arrival and departure. When the detachment or force on the march consist of European troops, an English –speaking official should, if possible be sent.( Punjab Government circular No. 12-1724, dated 31^st July, 1883). Grass cutters of regiments on the march should on arrival at encamping –grounds be directed to best places for cutting grass. Private property must be respected but there is usually abundance of grass on the sides of the roads and other public places. (Punjab Government Circular No. 22-657, dated 28^th March 1870.)

822.  Horse, mule and cattle breeding. As all the chief agricultural operations are carried on with the aid of bullock power, the supply of efficient cattle is a mater of great importance. On the whole the live – stock in the Punjab are of better quality than in the rest of India. And in some parts their reputation stands very high. The spread of canal irrigation over the old breeding ground has had a serious effect on the supply and has added to the importance of the cattle –breeding work of the Veterinary Department. Certain districts which are regarded as suitable or horse –breeding have bee n classed as “selected”, and in these the Army Remount Department devotes special attention to the matter; they provide and replace a number of stallions and pay for all costs of establishment, feed and keep. If district  broads maintain their own stallions  in these districts, these are supervised by the officers of the Army Remount Department.

In other districts , classed as “non-selected” the horse  and donkey stallions are supervised by the civil veterinary department ; the initial cost of acquisition is shared between Government and the district boards. While the latter pay for maintenance.

In all districts, the breeding of horned cattle, cattle disease, cattle fairs ,etc. are the care of Director , Veterinary Services , and his Superintendents (see Agricultural circular No. 6)

At Lahore there is a vernally College for training students , stipends are given both by Government and Local bodies (see Agricultural Circular No.3)

Until recently the only organization for the supply of suitable bulls for breeding purposes was the Government Cattle Farm at Hissar (see Agricultural circular No.1) but the establishment  of the grantee farms in the Lower Bari Doab Canal colony and the introduction of the Dhanni and Hariana breeding schemes  in the districts including  the homes of these breeds  have provided facilities for obtaining bulls of different breeds required for various districts of the province.

An area has been set apart for a new cattle breeding farm  in the Nili Bar colony, which it is hoped, will be developed for the supply of high class bulls.

823.  Cattle and horse fairs.  Cattle and horse fairs have come to be regarded as a very  valuable means of stimulating interest in breeding  as well as of facilitating the sale of young stock. They are being used  for the exhibition of the better types of stock as well as improved agricultural implements and farm produce. They tend to brighten the prevailing dullness of rural life by providing an occasional district fete. (See Agricultural circular No.2) Several district boards derive a substantial income from such fairs, and there is in consequence a tendency to encourage them as a source of income. 

824.  Important epidemic diseases among livestock. The principal epidemic diseases of equines and brownies are enumerated below :-

Equines                                   Brovines
Glanders                                  Rinderpest
Surra                                     Haemorrhagic
                                          Septicacemia.
Lymphangitis epizoopica                   Anthrax
Dourine                                   Black – quarter
Anthraz                                   Foot and mouth
                                          Disease.
Strangles
Gillar

Pleuro – Pneumonia contagious.

As a result of the propaganda work done by the Civil Veterinary Department with regard to contagious diseases and their prevention, live-stock owners readily admit the usefulness of preventive inoculations against the most serious contagious diseases such as rinderpest and hemorrhage septicemia.

The occurrence of epidemic disease amongst live-stock in a village is reported by the lambardar to the patwari who sends the information by postcard (supplied by the Civil Vernally Department for this purpose) to the nearest veterinary assistant concerned . On  receipt of information from the patwari , the veterinary assistant adopts the following procedure.

If the report relates to an outbreak of equine epidemic disease in any part of a selected district where such disease is dealt with by the Army Remount Department , he will merely transfer the post-card to he local veterinary assistant of that department for disposal in other cases he himself will proceed at once to the scene of the outbreak for the purpose of taking the necessary remedial and preventive measures. On arrival at the spot at which  the contagious disease had been reported to exist , the veterinary assistant takes all requisite steps for the treatment of the disease and for the prevention of its spread. If  the situation is sufficiently serious to require  this , the veterinary assistant  warns his immediate superior that his presence is needed, and the latter will order to the spot such extra staff as may be necessary when the nature of the disease has been ascertained, the veterinary assistant or veterinary assistant surgeon fills in a printed from provided for this purpose and submits it through the proper  channel to the Superintendent of the Circle for information . Similar information is also sent to the Deputy Commissioner  through the  tahsildar on another form supplied by the department. Whenever a serious outbreak of epidemic disease occurs in a district or whenever there is a danger of the disease spreading into the adjacent districts the Deputy Commissioner intimates the occurrence to the Commissioner of the division and also to the Deputy Commissioners of the neighboring  districts in order that due precautions may be taken. When epidemic disease appears in a camp or cantonment or amongst animals on a military line of communication , the military authorities have instructions to inform the nearest civil authority  without delay. Such information is immediately communicated to the local veterinary assistant or veterinary assistant surgeon and the Superintendent of the Circle in which the infected area lies. Similarly when any epidemic disease amongst animals appears at a horse or cattle fair or in the neighborhood of containment or on a line of military communication the fact and the nature of the disease is at once reported to the nearest military authority.

825.  District arboricultural.  The importance of arboricultural to a province so bare and arid as was the greater part of the Punjab was early recognized and in 1852 the Board of Administration issued orders designed to increase the fuel supply. The same order provided also for the comfort of travelers; they sanctioned remissions of land revenue on plantations and for the grant rent free, or plots of Government land at every three miles along the main roads to persons who would undertake to sink wells and plant groves Zamindars receiving inams from Government were to be required  to raise  one kanal of young trees for sale or distribution among their tenants. Trees were  to be planted by  official agency round all Government  building of every description and along roads under construction  and officers in charge of canals were to raise plantations at every three miles along their  banks; and at every jail and every tahsil nurseries of young trees were to be kept for distribution.

826.  Cancelled.

827  Progress of district arboricultural - The success of all arboricultural operations  depends so much on the taste and opportunities of individual  hand worked officers that progress has been intermittent and sometimes slow; but no one who has toured the province can fail to appreciate the vast amount of good work that has been done. Almost all the main roads run through avenues and the great  canals have everywhere well-wooded banks. Most Government building are surrounded by trees and nearly all civil stations have a pleasing appearance. The mileage of avenues along roads and canals must run into many thousands.

828.  Tree Planting by private persons.  The rules regarding the encouragement of tree-planting  by private persons will be found in paragraphs 511-512 of the Settlement  Manual. Under those relating to plantations of trees the Deputy Commissioner can at any time send up proposals to free the land from assessment. Those relating to wayside groves  (Financial Commissioner’s circular No. 4 of 1882) and the making of tree-planting a condition attached to the grant of inams must be considered as now obsolete. No Compulsion can be exercised to secure the planting of private lands and men with very small holdings cannot afford to plant trees except a few in the immediate vicinity of a well. But they can be encouraged  to preserve what trees they have and men with  more land can be helped by the distribution  of seedlings and especially where the local conditions  are favorable , of fruit trees from Government nurseries.

829.  Tree planting by public agency. The  expenditure on the planting of trees along roads is met by the authority which is responsible for the maintenance  of the roads , that is to say either by the Public works Department or the district boards or municipalities. So far as the work is in charge of local bodies, obviously a great deal must depend on the interest shown in it by the Deputy Commissioner  and Commissioner. A general superintendence  is exercised by the Conservator of Forests , and his advice should be  asked on  doubtful points. Much help may be derived from the manual of arboricultural . IN this branch of their work commissioners correspond direct with the local Government. It is important  that there should be definite scheme as regards  tree planting and under existing orders working plans for periods of from 3 to 5 years should be drawn up for each district:-

“The working plan should be of a simple nature, and it may be best , as suggested by  some of the officers consulted, to concentrate operations on one or more selected roads in each tahsil and to complete the planting of trees  on such road or roads before other roads in the tahsil are taken up. When the plan is sanctioned, the Conservator of Forests should be informed through the Commissioner at the beginning  of each year of the operations it is proposed to put in hand during the year, and a report  should be submitted  at the close of the year showing how far  these operations  have been carried out. IN the case of roads already  planted with  trees, it should also be  stated what  measures  have been taken to replace by the planting of young trees losses that may have been caused  through trees being blown  down by storms or the removal   of which has been  otherwise  necessitated. As suggested by the Conservator ( Letter No. 2790 , dated 21^st October , 1901.) where  this was not already been done a map on fairly large scale should be prepared  and hung up in  the Deputy Commissioner’s office showing the actual state of the avenues etc. in the district –a system of lines, full , broken , or dotted, showing whether  a road is fully planted whether there are gaps to be planted up or only a few trees  here and there.

Arrangements have been  made at the Imperial  Forest Research Institute and College at Dehra Dun as well as at Changa –Manga for putting district board  official through a simple course of  training ….. Where feasible, Deputy Commissioner’s should make over to some member of the district staff the immediate supervision of the operations of the whole district, but at the same time the responsibility of the tahsildar for the work in his tahsil should be maintained and encouraged.”

830.  Orders of Government of India.  The Government of India Issued a resolution (Proceedings September , 1905, Nos., 12-17 – A , Forests file No. 32.) No. 21 dated 11^th July, 1905, on the maintenance of avenue trees along roadsides, a few extracts from which may fittingly conclude the discussion of this subject :-

“The question is one of the real importance because of the welcome shade afforded thereby to way –fares, the substantial addition to the beauties of the landscape,  and mitigation of the discomforts of long journeys by road. The practice of planting avenues of this description was in earlier days as much a feature of British Administration as the construction of the roads themselves; and some of the order  avenue on the main roads  of India still supply the most agreeable of  memorials  to the taste and provision of their founders. The practice has no where died out; and it is still fairly widely , though intermittently and unmethodically , pursued. In recent years, however, great havoc has been caused in some tracts by the mutilation and cutting down of  timber in times of famine; and observations tends to show that these ravages have only been partially repaired. In other parts of the country the importance  of the matter appears to have been imperfectly  kept in view , and , from the want of sustained policy , money and effort  have been wasted, and in many places avenues formerly in existence have been allowed to disappear or to become disfigured by unsightly blanks.

“The Government of India are of opinion that the authority responsible for the construction and upkeep of any road upon  which the provision of shade is required  for the comfort the way – fares , should consider it almost as much its duty to maintain  along the road a line of shade giving trees as it is to keep the roadway and bridges in proper order ,  and should allot its available funds accordingly ,and more especially it should not manage these avenues so as to derive from them a net profit, until all the needs of the roads under its charge in matter of trees have been supplied.  The Government of India are far from discouraging all reasonable  measures devised in order to make an income from the avenues , which taken as a whole form a very valuable property. Indeed, they are of opinion that in many cases  a much larger income might legitimately be secured by  more judicious thinning  and the felling and replacing of over-mature trees, while steadily keeping in view the main object,  which is to provide  a continuos row of healthy  shade – giving trees, and more especially such trees as a give shape , such as may be seen some of the  fine old avenues left to us by the far-sighted officers of an earlier generation. But they would suggest that each authority having roads  in its charge not yet provided with avenues, should be required  to keep a separate  account of its income from and expenditure  on arboricultural, and , until the needful roadside avenues  are completed , to spend on arboricultural a sum at least equal to the income derived from the existing roadside trees. Moreover, in considering the provision of funds generally  or the purpose, local Governments should look to the net expenditure. Rather than to the gross expenditure . On this object, in the connection it is material to observe  that the liberal grant recently made to district boards from general  revenues will enable them to make better provision for all their duties, including arboricultural.

“In most provinces the responsibility for roadside trees devolves partly on the Public Works , Department and partly on local bodies, In either case it is essential that effort should be concentrated and properly directed and that the work of planting and tending the trees should follow  a prearranged system. As a general rule provision should first be made for filling up  gaps in existing avenue; next for establishing avenues which have been planted, but in which the trees are not yet beyond the reach of danger from drought or cattle; and lastly for planting new avenues . In taking up new  work, preference should be given  to those roads which are most frequented and where avenues can be established at the least cost and no more should be attempted at one time than can be thoroughly  established by means of the money and supervision available. Care should be taken that  the most suitable kind of tree is chosen., preference being given to fruit  trees, where otherwise  suitable , and to trees which will give shade, rather than to trees which merely develop a rapid growth . The character of timber must  also be selected with special reference to the dryness or moisture of the soil. In some cases it may be possible to provide means for the watering of trees by the utilization of neighboring sources of supply. Local Government are requested accordingly to see that where this had not already  been arranged for a clear working plan, similar to those prepared for Government forests, and accompanied by the necessary maps is prepared for each district or public Works Division concerned. The working  plans should be passed by some responsible officer, such as the Conservator of forests, or the Director of Land Records or Agriculture, or in the case of Government roads the Superintending Engineer; and arrangement should be prescribed for ensuring that they are not lost sight of by the local bodies or officer concerned. The services  of the local forest officer where available might be utilized both in the  preparation of working plants and in inspecting and advising  upon the actual operations . Many cases could be cited in which , when gaps occurs in an old avenue trees of a different and often heterogeneous description  have been carelessly introduced in the vacant places, both interrupting  the uniformity and spoiling the future appearance of the avenue.

“The subordinate in direct control of arboricultural work, whether under local bodies or under  the Public works Department, should as far as possible , receive a training of some kind in the technical branches of the subject either at some Government garden or at  a forest school or plantation . The Government of India are aware that funds cannot always to be forthcoming for the entertainment of full time officials of the forester, class for arboricultural work and they also recognize that  the success of  roadside  planting depends far more  on strict supervision than  on technical details; but they are at the same time convinced that even a few months training  in the technical part of the work will add  to the efficiency  of the present controlling staff, and every facility will be given in forest and Agricultural institutions under the control of the supreme Government to  provide a suitable training for such men as may  be sent to them for instruction by local bodies  or the Public Works Department. It is suggested that such facilities should be arranged for in similar institutions controlled by local Government.

“ Good results have been obtained in some tracts by entrusting certain supplementary work such as the planting of detached piece of road or the filling up of blanks in avenues to village or private agency and paying by results , and in others private  enterprise has been stimulated by rewards and by revenue – free grants. The encouragement of private tree- planting by these and other means is , in the opinion of the Government of India. Worthy of the special attention of the local Government, and they are requested to consider whether anything further can be done in this direction than is effected at present.

“It is essential that , as far as possible , the sympathies of the neighboring population should be enlisted in the preservation of the roadside trees. In the case of fruit trees , the produce of which is the little value, the cultivators  of the adjoining  field should be allowed  to take the fruit on condition that they protect the trees from serious damage. And when  a fodder famine is prevalent, judicious arrangements should be made to utilize the edible leaves of trees along roadsides as fodder for the cattle at reasonably  cheap rates. This does not mean that the trees  themselves should be heedlessly mutilated, or cut down but that a temporary sacrifice of sylvan amenity may be gladly accepted in the interest of saving valuable animal life.

“There is one practice that calls for particular deprecation . It is that  of lopping or otherwise  injuring a beautiful  avenue when preparations are being made for the reception of a high Government  official. In the anxiety to made proper arrangements for a party or procession proceeding in carriages, it is not an uncommon thing for the district authorities to cut away all the branches from the roadside trees within a certain distance from the ground,  serving thereby no purpose.  Whatsoever and inflicting damage which it may take years to repair. Officers of Government should maintain a vigilant watch in order to prevent this unthinking and regrettable from of depredation.”

831.  Minerals and quarries.  All mines of metal and coal all gold washings and all earth oil belong to Government. As regards other minerals such as quarries and canker beds , the land as contained in section 42 of the Punjab Land Revenue Act., is explained in paragraph 191 of the Settlement Manual and is also dealt with in paragraph 10 of the Financial Commissioners’ standing order No. 42 . In some estates these minor minerals are private property, elsewhere they belong to Government, even where the surface is private property.

The extraction of metals , coal earth-oil , gold, salt and generally speaking minerals not included in the definition of “minor minerals” is governed by the Punjab Mining Manual . For minor minerals a references should be made to the Punjab Minor minerals Rules published with the Financial Commissioner’s notification No. 4345-R dated the 23^rd December, 1963 (see Punjab Land Administration Act Volume II). Royalty is imposed  on minerals belonging to Government extracted by private endeavor. Wherever the minerals are the property of Government the dues of Government are taken in the shape of a royalty. Where on the other hand minerals are the property of the landowners , the gains from them should be included in the  assets of the estate at settlement. Section 59 (1) (e) of the Land revenue Act provides for a special  assessment in cases where this has not been done.

832. Treasure trove.   Rules as to treasures trove are contained in Punjab Government consolidated circular No. 43.

833.  (I) Creation of department of fisheries in the Punjab ( I) In about 1868 the Government of India deputed Dr. Day to enquire into the economic conditions of the fisheries of India , as a result of frequent complaints from all the provinces regarding the wholesale slaughter of fish. A second inquiry by Mr. H.S. Dunsford was under taken in 1911 in the Punjab , and he corroborated Dr. Day’s Statements and suggested various remedial measures for the preservation of fish in the province.

(ii)  As a result of Mr. Dunsford’s report Mr. G.C.L. Howell, I.C.S. was sent to America  to study fishery problems and on his return was appointed Director of Fisheries in 1912 with a small staff, to collect data in order to enable Government to decide whether Fisheries Department in the Punjab was justified , and what steps  should be taken to preserve the fish supply. As a result of his efforts  the Punjab Fisheries Act II of 1914 came into being . On his vacating the post of Director in November , 1915 the post was abolished but it was decided to retain  the department under a Warden of Fisheries which post was accordingly created.

(i)Scope of rules. (ii) The Punjab Fisheries rules and regulationsare all drafted either under the Indian Fisheries Act IV of 1897, or the Punjab Fisheries Act II of 1914. Act IV of 1897 and the rules thereunder prohibit the use of poison, dynamite and other explosiveand obnoxious substances for killing fish, and close certain waters, which are spawning grounds of important species of fish to fishingaltogether for specified periods. The rules framed under the Punjab Act, II of 1914, are simple and merely prohibit the use of fixedengines and small – meshed nets and the diversion of water for killing fish , in order to save the small fry and immature fish. These rulesare applied to waters which are not “Private Water” these can also be applied to “Private Waters” with the consent of the owners thereof.

These rules were first issued  Kangra  in 1916 and are now in force in 25 districts of  the province. They also regulate fishing by  prescribing the kinds of gears which are permitted, the seasons during which they may be used and the fees payable for the various kinds of licenses.

Briefly, licenses are of two kinds- general and angling. The former include nets and gears of all kinds as used by professional fishermen and the later for rod and line only , and are for the most part taken out by sports men.

There are different kinds of angling licenses and the fees there of vary considerably for instance provincial licenses, canal head works licenses, trout waters and district. They are obtainable from Deputy Commissioners of districts from the Warden of Fisheries and in case of canal heads works from the Executive Engineers , Irrigation’s Branch. 

In 18 districts individual licenses are issued to fishermen and in 7 districts in the western Punjab , and on canals leases are auctioned annually and license issued to highest suitable bidder along with a number of permits for use by his nominees of agents.

In two districts size limit for mahsir and trout has been prescribed below which no fish of these species can be killed. The offering or exposing  for sale or barter of mahsir and trout killed in  contravention  of the rules has also be prohibited in these two districts .

The breaches of the rules are compoundable and compensation  not exceeding Rs. 10 for each breach is charged . Such breaches are also punishable with a fine upto Rs. 100.

(iii). Rules under Punjab Act applies to all rivers and streams in Punjab. As almost all the rivers and streams in the Punjab are not the exclusive property of any persons, rules under the Punjab Act have been applied to them.

(ii)Conditions. The conditions on which the waters as licensed or leased are :-

(a)that the licensees are bound to fish in accordance with the conditions laid down in the rules.

(b)That they are bound to report breaches of the rules which come to their notice to the Deputy Commissioner, tahsildar, or any officer the Fisheries Department;

(c)That if, according to the entries in the wajib-ul –arz or record – of –rights , the owners of any village are entitled to a share of the catch of fish from the waterswithin those villages, the licensee shall be bound to give that share to the owners;

(d)In the districts in which fishing is leased, the lessee is required to pay the lease money in advance or by three equal installments; in the latter case he is required to furnish sufficient security for the payment of the future installments ; short paymentsare recoverableas arrears of land revenue.

If  a licensee is convicted for a breach of the rules his license can be cancelled.

834. Changes in limits and numbers of tahsils , districts and divisions.  An increase in the number of divisions into which a province is divided can only be made with the sanction of the Governor –General in Council. But the local Government may add to the number of tahsils and districts and may vary their limits and those of divisions. (Section 5 of Act XVII of 1887)  Such Changes are generally unpopular with the people, and can hardly fail to produce some confusion in administration . The make the comparison of past and present statistics difficult , and are apt to be  embarrassing when the time for a general re-assessment comes round. They should , therefore only be proposed when they are essentially necessary for the proper management of the estate or tract concerned.(Government of India , Home Department, Circular No. 194-202, dated 2^nd June , 1870. For reports to surveyor –General of changes of boundary , see Financial Commissioner standing order No. 25.)

834-A.  Boundary disputes.  Any boundary disputes with Indian States which arise should be dealt with promptly . The procedure to be followed in such cases will be found in Punjab Government consolidated circular No. 25. The adoption of fixed boundaries between the Punjab and Indian States where the line of demarcation follows in the main course of a river.(See paragraph 437) ought greatly to reduce the number of such disputes.

In the case of land boundaries the operations of the Survey of India Department and successive settlement operation have left little room for doubt as to the actual border. No difficulties are likely to arise and any that do arise should be easily settled , if the orders requiring Deputy Commissioner  whose districts march  with Indian States to inspect the boundary or cause it to be inspected every year are carried out. (Government of India. Foreign Department, resolution No.1758, dated 21^st August , 1871. The inspection should be noted in the annual revenue report. )

The Darbar should be informed when the district officer proposes to make his inspection and asked to depute  a representative of the State to meet him. The State  of the boundary pillars should be noted and arrangements made to carry out any necessary repairs.

835.  Skeleton maps.   Special ¼ district maps showing villages , tahsils and district boundaries , railways main rivers , canals roads and other prominent features as well as a few  of the more important places , are issued by the Director of Land Records for use in illustrating new proposals  and reports , and can also be conveniently bound into district statistical atlases , the necessary additions  being made under the Deputy Commissioner’s orders.

Subsidiary  to the above a limited number of ¼ maps are printed with the villages numbered a key sheet being added with  alphabetical lists of villages in English and vernacular. These maps are prepared in the Surveyor –General’s Office, and are reductions of the published  survey sheets.

835.  Authenticated to  CM :1KM tehsil maps , 1 CM’ 2 ½  KM district maps and M 10 KM state Map drawn on the basis of survey of India’s Topographical map sleets showing village, sub –Tahsil, Tahsil and district Boundaries, railways , roads, rivers, canals and  other prominent  features  as well as important places , are issued by the Director of Land Records to cater the needs of the various Government  Departments for planning purposes.

The necessary additions and alterations made from time to tome are incorporated in these maps of the Director of Land Record, Punjab.

836.  Gazetteers. The revision of the gazetteer  is under taken at each settlement by the settlement officer. ( See paragraph 552 of the Settlement Manual.) But to assist  him in his task and at the same time to make the gazetteer more useful, it should be kept up to date in the interval between settlements. Deputy Commissioners  have therefore been ordered to have a copy of the district gazetteer interleaved with good writing paper and to maintain a gazetteer note-book.

In the first they should enter brief notes correcting any statements in text which seem to them to have always been or to have become erroneous or which need to supplemented. For instance , after a new census it is well to correct all figures relating to population . The notes made in interleaved copy  of the gazetteer should be very brief.

The gazetteer note book should contain longer entries on any matter  which the Deputy Commissioner thinks will be of use  in the preparation of the new edition. Each entry should be marked in bold figures with the serial number of the gazetteer heading under which it will fall No. two entries  should be appear on a  single page. Only one side of the paper should be written on , so that the settlement officer may  able to remove the leaves and made use of the entries without recopying them . When the information is available in convenient  form in the district or other records a full reference to the papers in questions, with a brief  indications of the nature of the material which they contain will suffice.

Both at the time of the redrafting  of a new edition and during the interval between the editions , the officers who are collecting information should try to obtain help from residents of the district, Indian and European official and non-official. For example , it may be possible in this way to get better notes on the botany or geology of a district, its manufactures its archaeological remains , or its folklore  than the Deputy Commissioner or the  Settlement  Officer may have  either  the time of the special knowledge to compile. If vernacular papers are to be made use of they should be composed in a simple style , and the hand-writing should be neat and  clear.

The latest instructions as the revisions of district gazetteers are contained in Government of India, Home Department , letter No. 3375, dated 1^st November 1902.

The chief difficulty which stands in the way of periodical revision of the existing gazetteers, and the reason which has caused so large a portion of their contents to become obsolete is that they contain a mixture of permanent matter such as that relating to the history , physical characteristics , religion, ethnography etc.   of the district ; of matter which changes gradually but as a rule slowly such as that dealing with the agricultural and economic conditions; and of ephemeral matter mainly statistical, which soon becomes out of date. For this reason when a new District Gazetteer is issued it should consist of two volumes. A and B Compiled on the following lines :-

(1)  In the first edition all descriptive matter shouldgo into the A volume ; but that volume should containonly such general figures (incorporated in the latter press) as are necessary to give point to remarks in the text . The arrangement of subjects in thisvolume should follow the order prescribed for the provincial articles in the Imperial Gazetteer. All detailed statistics should be relegated to the B volume, whichwould at first consist only of these and of such notes as may be necessary to elucidate them.

(2)  On the occasion of the nest revision of statistics in the B volume should be recompiled and this volume should be expanded by addingto it any matter thatmight be required to correct or supplementthe A volume. Thus if there had been a famine since A was published , if new railway had been openedand so forth information on these points would appear in B as supplementary to the appropriate chapters in A.

(3)  Thisprocess wouldgo on till the time had come for revising the A volume. Then all the supplementary text matter should be incorporated in the new a Volume and B would revert to its original form as a statistical appendix with explanatory Notes.

(4)  A new edition of the B volume should be brought out after each census. The revision of the A volumes must be left to the discretion of the local Governments . The occurrence ofa new settlement will ordinarily be the best time for such revision; but it may well happen that plenty of copies of the original A volume are still available and that the settlement and lapse of time have not brought any important change in the conditions of the district. In that case the revisionof A should stand over till the stock of it no longer suffices for the demand; but a brief account of the settlementoperations and of the changes which they have produced or disclosed in the state of affairs described in the A volume , should be prepared by the Settlement Officer before he is relieved of his duties, for inclusion in the next decennial V volume.

(5)  The statistical partor the B volume should be issued with interleaved blank pages so that those who use it can have the figures of later years written in . The tables included in the B volume should be drawn up on uniform lines and should containthe main administrative statistics of the districts and its tahsils of other sub-divisions. Those prescribed enclosure D to my circular letter of 24^th September , 1902 No. 2948 –60 , seem generally suitable for adoption , but local Governments will doubtless vary or add to these as local circumstancesdemand. It is thoughtthatincluding the explanatory notes they should not ordinarily exceed a maximum limit of 50 pages.

(6)  Similarly a limit of size for A volumes might be fixed at about 300 pages within which compass it should be possible to comprise all really useful information . Some of the present provincial gazetteerserr in the direction of excessive size. The history chapters for example could often be materially condensed by assuming a general knowledge of Indian history on the part of the reader and dealing only with events which occurred in or were connected with the district. Where adjoining districts resemble each other in respect ofclimate , physical features , fiber and fauna history, distribution of castes, and economic conditions much labor might be saved by writing a single account of these and reproducing it. With the necessary local adaptations , in each district volume . It seems desirable that in future editions the severaldistricts should be dealt within separate volumes.

(7)  The Government of India have decided that there shall be a separate Index volume in the case of the Imperial Gazetteer and think that it would be very convenient for purposes of reference if a similar index were prepared for each series of provincial gazetteers.

837.  Annual Reports : The Crop and Season Report has  already been noticed in Paragraph 817. The other yearly reports which Deputy Commissioners have to prepare in connection with the Subjects dealt with this manual are :-

Land  Revenue Administration Report. (See parts I , II and IV of Financial Commissioner Standing Order No. 53.)

Report on Land Records

Report on estates under the Court of Wards (See part F of Standing Order No. 53)

838.     Escheats. The principles governing the escheat to the State of property left by  hairless properties are set forth in Punjab Government  Consolidated Circular No. 9 and  in the judgement of the Financial Commissioner in Wazira and other Versus Mangal and Others, No. 2 Punjab Record , Revenue , of 1911. The following propositions were laid down Sir Jame Douie in that case :-

(1)The right of the Crown to claim escheat rests not on Customary or Hindu Law, though Hindu Law recognizesescheats , but on grounds of general of universal law.

(2)The right can only arise in the absence of relations entitled by law or custom to inherit.

(3)The right of the proprietary body as a whole to succeed in case in which it exists is primarily based on real or assumed relationship to the holder of the land or to the member of the proprietor body from whom his title was derived.

(4)Such a right should be assumed in the case of homogeneous estates or sub-division of estates where the ownersare all or nearly all of the same tribe as the last holder of the land or the member of the proprietary body from whom he derived his title.

(5)It should not be assumed in the case of heterogeneous estatesor sub divisionsof estates held by persons of different tribes or different got of the same tribe . The presumption in such cases is that the State has right to escheat.

(6)Whenthe property in the land was originally derived by gift from a member of the tribe of the original proprietary bodythe right ofthat body should be recognizedon failure of the donors anddonee’s lines.

(7)In any case in which the Wajib-ul-arz declares the right of the proprietary body to succeed to the land of hairless owners Government shouldset up no claim.

It is further been held by the Financial Commissioner that escheat should  not be claimed for Government when there is a daughter , daughter’s son ,sister , or sister’s son.

838-A. Succession –A.I.R. 1940 The attention of all revenue officers is drawn to the judgement of the Lahore high Court reported as A.I.R. 1940 Lahore 416 ,which lays  down that in the absence of all agnates of  a childless proprietor , a cognate however, distantly , related to him is entitled to succeed to his property in preference to a stranger.

839.  Forfeiture of Property.  The attention  of all officers  is drawn to the judgement  of the Chief Court reported as Punjab Record 8 of 1908 , the summary of which is as follows: -

“Held by a majority of the Full Bench (Johnstone. J./ dissenting) that  where ancestral  immovable property held by a person subject to Punjab Customary Law attached and sold by order of criminal Court under section 88 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the sale conveys the lift interest of that person only and does not extinguish the right of inheritance after his death  of his male lineal descendants or of collateral’s  descended from the original holder of the property.”

Cases have come to the Financial Commissioner’s notice in which land so sold has been purchased  in the bona fide belief that full proprietary rights were being conveyed. Care should be taken to make it clear in all announcements of such sales , and at the time of sale that a life interest only is being sold.

APPENDIX I

Section 59 of the Land Revenue Act recites the cases in which special assessment may be made by Revenue  Officer whose procedure is to regulated by the provisions of the Act relating to general land Revenue assessment subject to such modifications as the Financial Commissioner may introduce by executive instructions.

The following  statement gives references to the executive instructions issued under the  various clauses of the section :-

Cause (a) of Section 59(1) – Paragraph 179-A and 181-183 of the Settlement Manual paragraphs 197-198 of the Land Administration Manual and Paragraph  19 of Financial Commissioners Standing Order No. 7.

Clause (b) of Section 59 (1) Paragraph 10 of Appendix  III and paragraph  5 at page 376 in appendix IV  to the Land Administration Manual and paragraph 89 of Financial Commissioner’s Standing Order No. 28.

Clause (c) of Section 59 (1) – Paragraphs 529 –536 of the Land Administration Manual and  paragraph 521 of Settlement Manual.

Clause (d) of section 59(1 ) paragraph 438-446 and 579-583 of Land Administration Manual paragraphs 445 and 497 of the Settlement Manual and Financial Commissioner Standing Order No. 26.

Clause (e) of section 59(1) paragraphs 191-192 and 458-460 of the Settlement Manual, paragraphs 767-769 and 831-833 of Land Administration  Manual and Financial Commissioners Standing Order No. 42 – especially  paragraph 1.

APPENDIX   II
FOREST SETTLEMENTS

1.  Instructions for guidance of forest settlement officers.  The following  instructions were issued in 1887 by the Financial Commissioner, with the sanction of the Lieutenant – Governor, for the guidance of Forest settlement Officers in proceedings under Chapter II of the Indian Forests Act, 1878 (now Act XVI of 1927).

Preliminary proposals

2.  Preliminary reports by Collector.  Proposals to constitute reserved forests (whether initiated by local officers  or framed in consequence of instructions received from superior authority) should be submitted by Collectors to Commissioners and should be accompanied by :-

(i)  a map showing the land which it is proposed to treat in this manner and also the lands adjacent thereto;
(ii)  a draft notifications under  section 4 of the Act;
(iii)  a report stating the rights in the land so far as known , the manner in which the land has hitherto been managed and the reasons  for which it is desired to convert it into a reserved forest with suggestions for the appointment of a  Forest Settlement Officer and Other agency  , if nay required for his assistance.

3.  Collector should obtain assistance from District Forest Officer.  In drawing up this report the Collector should avail himself  of the assistance of the district forest officer. In his absence, or for the proper  treatment  of cases of sufficient  importance  the Chief  Conservator of Forest May be able to place a forest officer at the Collector’s disposal  for the purpose. No detailed inquiry  into rights should be made at this stage.

4.  Scope of Report.  It is of particular importance that this report , which is the first step in forest reservation proceedings , should state  clearly the purposes for which the reservation is proposed e.g., for the better supply of the adjacent population with timber, fuel, grass  or other  forests produce; to meet the demands of railways , cities or cantonments ; to protect by forest growth hillsides and prevent destructive drainage; to grow or protect a high class of timber.  The  manner in which the reservations  is likely to affect adjacent estates or population should be noticed. To this end the map accompanying should show not only the lands which it is proposed to reserve , but also the lands adjacent thereto, distinguishing inhabited sites,  cultivation and waste . IT is ordinarily difficult for an agricultural  or pastoral population to modify their habits in conformity with novel demands of regulated forest management and it is for the reporting officer to show either that the proposed reservation will not affect the conveniences of the adjacent population , or that sufficient necessity exists for restricting their convenience.

5.  Disposal of report.  The Commissioner on receipt of the Collector’s report will forward  it to the Chief Conservator of Forest for his opinion and after receipt of that officer reply , will submit the report  to the Financial Commissioner with his recommendations.

Forest Settlement Procedure

6.  Map When a proposal to constitute a reserved forest has been notified, and the forest settlement officer has entered upon his duties and has issued the proclamation required by section 6, his most immediate duty is to ascertain whether he has at his command a sufficiently accurate map of the land to be reserved, and if he has not, then to provide one, for which purposes section 8 of the Act furnishes him with the necessary authority. Except for special reasons, the map should not be on a smaller scale than four inches to the mile. Its outer boundaries and the boundaries of all interior holdings should be carefully attested and be compared with the existing records available in the district record office.

7.  Investigation of claims. Section 7 of the Act.  In the meantime all claims preferred and statements of rights of which the existence is ascertained( whether from previous records or from local enquiry, should be put up in a file and be dealt with  in the manner provided by the Act, claims should be clearly set out, either by petition or by deposition , or in both ways. If rights  are believed to exist and the right holders do not appear, these persons should be summoned and be examined with reference to their rights . Documents relied on should befitted in original , or if copies are filed , they should be admitted only after comparison with the originals . Where previous  records are referred to , the original records should be  inspected and certified extracts should be filed. If claims or rights are  disputed, suitable  issued should be framed, evidence heard and findings be recorded thereon. In short, the Forest Settlement Officer should remember that he is armed with the  power of a Civil Court, and that his decision possesses a similarly finality. AT the same time, separate files need not ordinarily be made up for each claim. Unless difficulties arise it will be  usually sufficient to deal with all claims and rights in four files according to the classifications given in the next paragraph. Section 8(b) of the Act.

8.  Four Classes of Claims. In respect of the treatment  of  claims, attention is directed to the following instructions :-

Chapter II  of the Forest Act divides the claims with  which a forest settlement officer has to deal into four classes, and provides a different method of treatment  for each class. The four classes :-

(i)  claims to public or private ways or water –courses;
(ii)  claims to rights of pasture or to forest produce (section 12);
(iii)  claims to other rights (section 11);
(iv)  claims relating to the practice  of shifting  cultivation (section 10).

9.  Public and private ways and water courses. The forest settlement officer must be careful to record all public and private ways and water –courses  existing at the time his enquires, and in this class of claims must be included  right to use  the water of well, springs and streams situate inside the boundaries of the proposed  reserve, for if the right to use such water exists . It cannot be enjoyed  unless a proper  way to approach to the water  is allowed. But though  the forest settlement officer is required to record all rights of this class he has no authority to expropriate or commute them. His duty is limited to the drawing up of a clear record  of them. Their feature regulation is a matter for the executive Government under section 25.

10.  Rights of pasture or to forest produce.  The treatment of the second class of claims viz. Claims to rights of pasture or to forest produce is the most difficult part of the forest settlement officer’s duty. If after the enquiry to which reference has been made in paragraphs , above he rejects a claim in whole or in part, he should be careful that this order contains all the particulars required  by section 13. If  he admits a claim, he should proceed to record with as much completeness as is possible all the particulars required by section 14.

Having made this record, it remains for the forest settlement officer to secure  by one of the three methods laid down in section 15  of the Act  the continued exercise of the rights so admitted. He may either transfer the right  to another forest tract under the condition stated in section 15(a) , or under the condition stated in section 15(b) ; he may exclude from the forest an area sufficient for the exercise  of the rights established . Both of these methods  possess obvious advantages, especially in the eyes  of the right holders, but it lies with the forest settlement  officer to take  care that in resorting o them  he does not burden any land with rights so extensive as to insure its ultimate deterioration. IT is easy by a too ready resort to expedients of this nature to purchase the proper forest preservation of one forest area at the cost of the ultimate destruction of another forest area. The forest settlement officer is under no necessity to sanction wasteful adjustments of this nature. Under section 15(c) he can record an order appointing the seasons at which , and the portions of forest in which , the rights shall be exercised and he can also propose in his final report any rules which , without  restricting the rights admitted, place appropriate safeguard on their excise. In making arrangements of this nature, it is useful to bear in mind the necessity for providing that all areas burdened with rights shall be closed in rotations for reproduction. For instance , where a right of grazing can be sufficiently provided for in a hundred acres.  It is expedient if possible to record the right in larger in area, subject to adequate  conditions for securing the closing of the whole in rotation.

All this is to be done to the best of the forest settlement officer’s ability and with due regard to the successful maintenance of the forest under reservation Primarily the Government  is not interested in extinguishing rights of pasture or to forest produce. But in the last resort and  where really necessary in the interests entrusted to  this charge, the forest settlement officer has authority under section 16 of the Act to expropriate these rights.

11.  Other rights.  In respect of the third class of claims the legislature leaves no option to the forest settlement officer. He must either exclude from the forest the land on which these rights are claimed or he must extinguish the rights. IN this connection it should be remembered that provided a given area of land is expressly excluded from the reserve being clearly demarcated off, the mere fact that the reserved forest surrounds such land does not necessitate expropriation of the latter. No doubt such areas (commonly known as chak khariji) often create difficulties  in forest management , and where this is the case the settlement officer will act rightly in expropriating them. But in each case the question is for his decision.

12.  Expropriations.  In carrying out expropriations care should be taken to comply with the rules issued by Government for the guidance of Collectors in their proceedings under the Land Acquisition Act,. I of 1894. For all proposed expropriations village statements should be prepared and filed as required by paragraph 36 of Standing order No. 28 and the award should be entered in form A given in paragraph 73 of the Standing order. If reductions  in the revenue roll are necessitated by these expropriations, the forest settlement officer should prepare and forward to the Collector the statement prescribed by paragraph 79 of the Standing order.

13.  Certain Orders to be communicated to forest officer. Under section 17 of the Indian Forest Act., an appeal can be lodged by a forest officer against any order passed by a forest settlement officer under sections 11,12,15 or 16.  This appeal must be presented  within three months after the date of the order. The forest settlement officer after passing an order under any of these sections should at once send a copy to the local forest officer for communication to the Chief Conservator of  Forests.

14.  Making of boundaries. As the settlement of the reserved forest proceeds , if its boundaries have not already been permanently marked out, it is the duty of the district forest officer to set up permanently marked out, it is the duty of the district forest officer to set up permanent pillars and to test the agreement of these pillars with the final record of the forest settlement officer.

Final record and report.

15.  Form of final report. This final record will be prepared by the forest settlement officer as soon as the decision of claims has progressed sufficiently . It should comprise for each forest separately demarcated or where the forest tract is of great size, for each convenient section thereof(I) map (ii) proceeding and (iii) final notifications. Instructions as to the form and contents of these documents are appended and no other paper should be added to the file excepting only orders subsequently issued by the local Government under section 22 of the Act.

16.  Form and scope of final report. All claims having been disposed of and the above record having been complete . It will then only remain for the forest settlement officer to move the local Government to issue the notification  contemplated by section 19. It is necessary that the local Government should before taking this step be informed of the nature .of the proceeding to which its final sanction is desired. To this end the forest settlement officer should draw up a brief report standing in addition to the information required by clauses (a) , (b) and (c) of section 20 of the Act, the general result of  his proceeding . This report should be written by way of continuation of the preliminary report summated under  paragraph 2, and need not repeat matters already sufficiently explained therein. No exact  form is prescribed for the report. What is required  is a brief summary of so much of the proceedings as has not already been reported , and of such a nature as to satisfy the local Government that these proceedings can appropriately be confirmed . It should notice specially the matters referred  to in paragraphs 11 and 12  above, and also the extent to which expropriations (by agreement or by award) have been resorted to and the cost and other results of such expropriations. It should be accompanies by a draft notification for issue under section 20 of the Act, by a map showing the limits of the forest as finally settled on the scale and with the other details required by paragraphs 2, 4 and 6 above and also an English abstract of the information given under heads (v) and (vi) of the proceedings prescribed by paragraphs 1 and 3 of the annexture. This abstract should be drawn up with some care for its is intended to serve as a convenient guide to the officers by whom the forest  will be managed. If expropriations have been made an abstract statement in the form prescribed by paragraph 79 of Financial Commissioner’s Standing Order No. 28 should also be added. See Cir. No. 17-F . of 18th July, 1885, from Government of India Home Department.

17.  Boundaries of reserves on rivers, Government of India No. 746 of 16th July, 1893. In case of all forest reserves which are situated on the banks of a river, the exact position of which owing to allusion and dilution changes  , is not constant , the boundaries of the forest should be fixed by maps giving bearings from boundary pillars on the firm land. The boundaries can be altered from time to time under the Act whenever a change of sufficient  importance may take place. It would be only after the lapse of some years that newly-formed land would become of sufficient importance may take place . It would be only after the lapse of some years that newly-formed land would become of sufficient importance from a forest point of view to make it worthwhile to take it into a forest. In draft notifications under section 20 of the Act all boundaries which are liable to river action should in future be described in the manner here indicated. (This paragraph was added in 1893)

18.  Disposal of Report.  The report should be addressed to the Commissioner of the division , but it should be forwarded, unless the Collector is himself  the forest settlement officer, through the Collector, who is required to add to it both his own opinion and that of the district forest officer. The Commissioner before forwarding the report to the Financial Commissioner, will proceed as directed in paragraph 5.

19.  Disposal of final record - The Final record (paragraph 15) should not be forwarded to the commissioner, but should be deposited in the district record office at the same time as the final report is submitted. These records will be permanently preserved.

20.  Preservation of flies. The files of claims (paragraph 7) will also be deposited in the district record office, and part A of these files should also preserved permanently.

Special Proposals

21.  Forest Settlement Officer should consider effect of reservation on usage’s and submit special proposals, if necessary.  The preceding instructions relate to the necessary procedure prescribed under Chapter II of the Indian forest Act when it is proposed or resolved to constitute a  reserved forest. In carrying  out this procedure , a forest settlement officer must carefully limit himself to ascertaining setting and recording , settling and recording rights actually existing and providing for their exercise and enjoyment in the manner prescribed in the Act. But much more than this is required to enable the local Government to judge whether after the events mentioned in section 20 of the Act have occurred, it is. Or is not , expedient to issue a notification under that section declaring the area to be a reserved forest. The result of the procedure of the Forest Act, when rights have been recorded and maintained, is to impose great restrictions on their exercise and materially to alter the previous usage’s  of the people . To such changes , as already observed, the people  are slow to accommodate themselves , and it is therefore incumbent on the Government to satisfy itself as to the probable effect which the reservation of the area and its strict management as a reserve will have upon the requirements of the neighborhood and habits of the people. This can best be ascertained by the forest settlement officer in the course of his inquiries for the settlement of rights. If not ascertained and reported on by him, it would have to be separately Enquirer onto  and reported on, by the Collector or other revenue officer, which would only cause delay and additional expense. In addition therefore to having his record of rights in strict accordance with the Act the forest settlement officer should in a separate  proceedings, record his opinion on the above points . If , on regarding  his work from this point of view , he is opinion that the Government  ought to make certain concessions beyond what has been awarded under the strict letter of the law, it is his duty to frame recommendations accordingly and to submit them, either in a special report or as an appendix to his final report required by paragraph 16.

22.  Two classes of recommendation usually made. The recommendation would usually deal with two classes of cases, viz, those arising out of (1) the use of  forest produce permitted as a matter of ordinary convince in the absence of any strict management but not supported by any clear right established by adverse enjoyment ; and 92) the prospective wants of village communities or of individuals whether members of  village communities or not.

23.  Use of forest produce.  A regard the first class, it is desirable to avoid on the one hand, embarrassment to Government by hastily granting unduly liberal concessions which must ultimately be withdrawn in the interest of should forest management ; and on the other hand serious popular discontent by the harsh , illiberal or undue restrictions of usage’s which contribute to the comfort and convenience of the adjacent population . The aim should usually be some executive arrangement giving no ground  for any substantial grievance, and so carefully guarded as not to infringe the recognized principles of forest management , or to suggest claims that cannot legally be sustained.

24.  Prospective want of neighborhood. The cases of the second class are amongst the most difficult of any which occur in the course of a forest settlement. While it has been determined that the Forest Act does not  justify the forest settlement officer, and possible more numerous generation . It is nevertheless pointed out that  he might have to take into account prospective wants in particular cases, as when a claimant had established a right  of such a nature that it would probably in course of time entitle him to large benefits  from a forest than he was entitled to at the time of settlement. It is to be expected that in practice  many intermediate cases will arise in which the forest settlement officer will rightly entertain doubts as to what should be done under the Forest Act, and what by order of  government outside the Act and by way of executive arrangement. It will be the safest plan to refer, by an intermediate report, for the special orders of Government (1) such doubtful cases (2) any cases in which the results of a strict adherence to the procedure of the Forest Act would apparently conflict with some local popular custom , and (3) any cases in which claims are advanced or arrangements seem advisable not only for the present, but the prospective population of any village or tract.

25.  Reasonable requirements of people and desirability of executive orders  to be considered.  On receipt from a forest settlement officer of any intermediate or final report of the nature required by these instructions , the Collector (when not himself / the forest settlement officer) and the Commissioner of the division will pay special attention to the questions how far the awards under the Act adequately provide  for the reasonable  requirements of the people , and what , if any executive arrangements , beyond the scope of those awards , it would be expedient or equitable to make in order to meet those requirements.

26.  Orders on special proposals to noticed in record and report.  The orders passed by Government of special proposals submitted under paragraphs 21 to 25 should be briefly stated in the final – record ( See annexure), and, if passed before submission of the final report, should be recapitulated therein.

27.  Procedure when reservation appears  undesirable. If in any case a forest settlement officer in the course of his Enquires ascertains that difficulties and objections exist ,which render the completion of the reservation probably undesirable, he should stray proceedings and submit a report through the Collector. This report will be dealt with by the Commissioner in the same manner as directed  in paragraph 5 for the original report.

28.  Completion of records. The attention of Collectors is directed to 3 (vii) and 4 of the appended instructions concerning the record. The duty of Completing the record by the addition of a copy of the final notification an instructions of the nature contemplated in paragraph 21 to 27 have been issued by Government, which the forest settlement officer has not already incorporated into head (vii) of the proceeding it is duty of the Collector to add them.

ANNEXURE

Instructions as to the form and contents of final records prepared by Forest Settlement Officers for reserved forest.

The final record shall consist of map, a proceeding and a copy of the final notification issued under section 19 of the Act.

2.  The map should not usually be on a smaller scale than 4 inches to the mile. It shall show distinctly boundary pillars, permanent survey mark sand physical features so far as may be convenient. The direct distance between each pair of boundary pillars shall wherever possible , be chained and recorded on the map. The map shall also distinguish by interior boundary lines and survey numbers.

(i)  Areas surrounded by the forests,  but excluded from them (chak khariji);
(ii)  Areas from which rights have been expropriated or in which they have been maintained, or in which claims have been rejected in their entirely;
(iii)  Public and private ways, water-courses , springs, and watering –places.

3.  The proceedings shall contain the following information.

(i)  It shall quote the number and date of the notification issued under section 4 of the Act, and give the contents of the notification, and the name of the forest settlement officer appointed thereunder.

(ii)  It shall give a list of all areas (Chaks khariji) surrounded by the forest  boundaries but excluded from the forest , thus :-

Number of map          A          Village to which it appertains

(iii)  It shall give an abbreviated list of all claims rejected in entirely under sections 11 and 12 of the Forest Act, thus :-