LAHORE: The Punjab government has finally proposed amendments to 100-year British-era forest act with a system that incorporated the latest technologies.
The Punjab Forest Act was introduced in 1927 and in 2025, almost 98 years, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz approved amendments to this act. The major amendments proposed in Forest Act 1927 included change of total hierarchy, increase in fines and punishments, introduction of new definitions and establishment of new centres.
As per the Forest Act 1927, the existing designations were Chief Conservator of Forests (Three Independent Offices under supervision of Secretary), Chief Conservator of Forests, Conservator of Forests, Divisional Forests Officer, Sub-Divisional Forests Officers, Range Forest Officer, Block Officer, Forester and Forest Guard.
The new proposed designations included Director General (Forests), Chief Conservator of Forests, Conservator of Forests, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Assistant Conservator of Forests /Forest Protection Officer, Inspector Forests and Forest Ranger.
The amended draft added new definitions including Brushwood, Ecosystem, native flora, Court and Prosecutor, Director General, (Forests), Forest Protection Centers, Investigation Officers and Secretary, First Information Report, Officers and Officials, Offenders, Organised forest crime and whistleblower.
The amended draft also revised the definitions including the definition of “Cattle” the words “ungulate” & “pig” will be deleted and, “domestic animals and horned cattle, donkey, ewes” will be included.
The existing fines under Forest Act 1927 included 1) Fine up to Rs100,000 or imprisonment up to 6 months (Section 26), 2) Fine up to Rs200,000 or imprisonment upto 1 year (Repetition of offence or after sunset) (Section 26 (4), 3) Fine to trespassers who fails to remove possession by the order of Court; punishment six month and fine 1000 per day (Section 26-A Encroachment in reserve forest) and 4) Power to release the arrested person upto the rank of Ranger (Section 65).
The above mentioned fines were also revised in the amended draft and the proposed fines included 1) Fine upto Rs5million not less than Rs100,000 and imprisonment upto 7 years and Fine upto Rs1 million not less than Rs 50,000 and imprisonment upto 5 years, 2) Double Fine and imprisonment upto 7 years (Repetition of offence or after sunset), 3) 10,000 Fine per day and imprisonment till removal of encroachment and punishment for seven years and 4) In-charge of Forest Protection Center after due process as per Cr.PC.
The amended draft stated that the Director General (Forests) may be appointed by Chief Minister on special terms and conditions as may be prescribed (Section 51-D). The DG shall under the superintendence of Secretary and Responsible for accomplishing the objectives and effective implementation of the Act and shall exercise all such powers as are mentioned in the Act or as may be assigned. The DG shall do supervision and administration of officers/officials and Forest Protection Centers (Section 51-D). The DG will be given powers to approve for registration of FIR against (BS15-16) and recommend against (BS-17and above) of the officers of Forest Department and Secretary may at its own after inquiry order for registration of FIR against Officers (Section 51-N).
The amended act stated that on his own motion or on application DG or Secretary may call any record for examination within 90 days (Power of Review) (Section-52 (6), Appoint officer and officials in Forest Protection Centers/Department on terms and conditions as may be prescribed (Section-51-E).
The new amendments also included creation of Forest Protection Centres (Section 51-A), arrest and custody of offenders (Section 51-I), surveillance and operations through Forest Protection Centers (Sect. 51-A (3), lodge of FIR and Investigation & Proceedings under Cr.PC 1898 (Sect. 51-B (d), transfer of Investigation prior to Challan by DCF and appeal to DG (Sect. 51-H), prosecutor may be appointed by the Department or from the Prosecution Dept (51-L), Non Bailable and Cognizable except minor offences (Sect. 26 (9) & Sect. 33 (7), Special Court / Magistrate of Section 30 (Sect. 51-J), Search of residential building with permission of Court (Sect. 52 (2), Sealing of Premises and right of appeal through video link (CCF and DG) (Sect.52). Seizing of articles and right of appeal/ No power of de-seal/ de-seize except appea(Sect53), Whistleblower Prevention for Forest Offences and to Protect Forests (Sect. 51-O), Incentive for officers and whistle blower (Sect. 51-P), Power to withdraw or compound the case at any stage by the Secretary (Sect. 65(3), Power to Compound the offence (Sect.68), All offences are compoundable except organized offences (S.79-A), forcefully de-sealing the property (S. 53) wrongfully seizing (S. 61) altering boundary marks (s. 62).
It further said in case of repetition double amount shall be imposed, third time an FIR shall be register against the offender and such case shall be non-bailable, power to compound the offence may be conferred to any Forest Officer by the government.
The amendments also define organised forest offences (S. 79-A) as illegal activities related to forests and forest produce that are carried out systematically by organised groups or networks and these activities shall be punished with imprisonment upto ten years and fine upto ten million rupees. The proposed amendments provide protection of vulnerable, endangered and threatened to native flora and specific historical or cultural tree and provision included to protect ecosystem and forest management plan.
Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said according to the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the British-era Forest Act was to make the entire forest and environment system in Punjab corruption-free, after which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has become the first government department to run the entire system through a modern system equipped with technology with complete elimination of paperwork.
‘Under the modern system, every document will have a specific reference number and QR code, which will make it possible to verify it in seconds, as well as to check every decision. A digital record of everything, including the reasons for decisions, recommendations, approvals, will be available at all times. All departments related to the environment will not issue orders or give any approval without a modern digital system’.
‘Strict disciplinary action will be taken against the officers and staff of the department who issue orders, approve or issue any administrative decision other than the digital system ‘e-FOAS’, a formal order was issued by the Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Dr Imran Hamid Sheikh in this regard,’ the minister said.
