TAMIL NADU

GOVERNMENT GAZETTE

EXTRAORDINARY

PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY

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

GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU

[R. Dis. No. 197/2009.

2025

[Price: Rs. 3.20 Paise.

DTP—Ex-IV-1 (25)

Part IV—Section 1

Tamil Nadu Bills

[25]

No. 25]

CHENNAI, SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2025

Margazhi 27, Kurothi, Thiruvalluvar Aandu-2055

CONTENTS

Pages.

BILLS:

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

(Amendment) Act, 2025.. ..

26-28

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

29-31

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:—

(1) This Act may be called the Chennai Metropolitan

Water Supply and Sewerage (Amendment) Act, 2025.

Short title and

commencement.

(2) It shall come into force at once.

Tamil Nadu Act

28 of 1978.

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;”.

Amendment of

section 4.

TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY 27

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.

TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY

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 FURTHER 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:—

(1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Forest

(Amendment) Act, 2025.

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

Government may, by notification, appoint.

Short title and

commencement.

Tamil Nadu Act V

of 1882.

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.

Amendment of

section 7.

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

shall be inserted, namely:—

Insertion of

section 16-B.

“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.”.

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.

Amendment of

section 18.

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

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.”.

Substitution of

section 65.

TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY

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.

TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY 31

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.

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF STATIONERY AND PRINTING, CHENNAI

ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU