L.A. BILL (English)--Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department -- Forests.

© GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU 2025

[Regd. No. TN/CCN/467/2012-14.

[R. Dis. No. 197/2009.

[Price: Rs. 3.20 Paise.

No. 25] CHENNAI, SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2025 Margazhi 27, Kurothi, Thiruvalluvar Aandu-2055

Part IV—Section 1

Tamil Nadu Bills

CONTENTS

Pages.

BILLS:

No. 5 of 2025—The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage

26-28 (Amendment) Act, 2025.. ..

No. 6 of 2025—The Tamil Nadu Forest (Amendment) Act, 2025. .. .. 29-31

[25]

DTP—Ex-IV-1 (25)26 TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY

BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

OF THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU

Under Rule 130 of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Rules, the following

Bill which was introduced in the Legislative Assembly of the Tamil Nadu on

11th December, 2025 is published together with Statement of Objects and

Reasons for general information:—

L.A Bill No. 5 of 2025

A Bill further to amend the Chennai Metropolitan

Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1978.

BE it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Tamil Nadu in the Seventy-fifth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—

Short title and 1. (1) This Act may be called the Chennai Metropolitan

commencement.

Water Supply and Sewerage (Amendment) Act, 2025.

(2) It shall come into force at once.

Tamil Nadu Act

Amendment of 28 of 1978.

section 4.

2. In section 4 of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act,1978, after clause (dd), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:—

"(ddd) the Deputy Secretary to Government, Finance

Department, ex-officio;".

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS.

As per clause (b) of section 4 of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1978 (Tamil Nadu Act 28 of 1978), the Secretary to Government in charge of Finance Department is one of the Directors of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board. However, due to the increased volume of financial responsibilities to be dealt with by the Board such as high value tenders and multiple projects managed by the Board, it is imperative to bring on Board another officer in the rank of Deputy Secretary to Government, Finance Department as one of the directors of the said Board. Accordingly, the Government have decided to amend section 4 of the said Tamil Nadu Act 28 of 1978, suitably, to achieve the object in view.

2. The Bill seeks to give effect to the above decision.

K.N. NEHRU, Minister for Municipal Administration.

Secretariat,

Chennai-600 009,

K. SRINIVASAN, 11th January 2025.

Principal Secretary.

Under Rule 130 of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Rules, the following

Bill which was introduced in the Legislative Assembly of the Tamil Nadu on

11th January, 2025 is published together with Statement of Objects and

Reasons for general information:—

L.A Bill No. 6 of 2025

A BILL FURTHE R TO AMEND THE TAMIL NADU FOREST

ACT, 1882.

BE it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Tamil Nadu in the Seventy-fifth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—

Short title and 1. (1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Forest

commencement.

(Amendment) Act, 2025.

(2) It shall come into force on such date as the State

Government may, by notification, appoint.

Tamil Nadu Act V

Amendment of of 1882.

section 7.

2. In section 7 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), for the expression "the Board of Revenue", the expression "such officer of the Revenue Department not below the rank of District Collector, as may be notified by the Government" shall be substituted.

Insertion of 3. After section 16-A of the principal Act, the following section

section 16-B.

shall be inserted, namely:—

"16-B.Declaration of compensatory afforestation land to be reserved forest.—Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the Government may, by notification, declare any land transferred to the Forest Department for the purpose of compensatory afforestation under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 (Central Act 69 of 1980) and the rules made thereunder, as reserved forest.".

Amendment of

section 18.

4. In the proviso to section 18 of the principal Act, for the expression "the Board of Revenue", the expression "such officer of the Revenue Department not below the rank of District Collector, as may be notified by the Government" shall be substituted.

Substitution of 5. For section 65 of the principal Act, the following section shall

section 65.

be substituted, namely:—

"65. Government may delegate powers.—The Government may, by notification, delegate any of the powers vested in them under sections 16, 19, 20, 22, 27 and 58 to such officer of the Revenue Department not below the rank of District Collector, as may be specified in the said notification.".

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS.

Whenever any forest land is used for non-forest purpose, the user agency shall provide specified extent of land for the purpose of compensatory afforestation. Further, as per the Guidelines dated 24.01.2023 issued by the Government of India on the Accredited Compensatory Afforestation,the said compensatory afforestation land should be declared as protected forest within the time frame prescribed by the Central Government. However, the procedures prescribed in sections 4 to 16 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882 (Tamil Nadu Act V of 1882), for declaring any land as reserved forest (same as protected forest) are elaborate and time consuming. Hence, in order to declare the compensatory afforestation lands as reserved forests expeditiously, it has been decided to make a special provision on the lines of section 16-A of the said Act.

2. Further, for constituting a land as reserved forest under the Tamil Nadu Act V of 1882, the Government are required to issue two Notifications, one under section 4 of that Act to declare their intention and another under section 16 of that Act to declare that land as reserved forest. As the above requirement to issue Notifications on two occasions by the Government has resulted in considerable delay in constitution of reserved forest, it is felt necessary to delegate the powers of the Government to issue Notification under section 16 of the said Act to an officer of the Revenue Department not below the rank of District Collector by amending section 65 of the said Act.

3. The Government have, therefore, decided to amend the said Tamil Nadu Act V of 1882 suitably.

4. The Bill seeks to give effect to the above decision.

Dr. K. PONMUDY, Minister for Forests.

MEMORANDUM REGARDING DELEGATED LEGISLATION

Clauses 1(2), 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the Bill authorise the Government to issue notifications for the purposes specified therein.

2. The powers delegated are normal and not of an exceptional character.

Dr. K. PONMUDY, Minister for Forests.

Secretariat,

Chennai-600 009,

K. SRINIVASAN, 11th January 2025.

Principal Secretary.

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