The Department of Environment & Forest, Andaman & Nicobar Administration on July 05, 2023, issued the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Forest Produce Transit Rules, 2022.
These Rules shall apply to Forest Produce from any source within the Andaman and Nicobar Islands which are imported, exported or moved by any of the routes into, from or within the boundaries of the said Islands. (Rule 3)
The foremost provisions have been stated:
• Within the limits of the areas specified in Rule 3, no person shall conceal any timber or wood or other forest produce.
• No Forest Produce shall be moved into, from or within the Islands except under cover of a transit pass in Form A here to be annexed from an Officer of the Forest Department of the rank of a Forest Guard and above duly authorized by the Divisional Forest Officer to issue the same or electronic Transit Pass / No Objection Certificate generated through National Transit Pass System (NTPS) or otherwise than in accordance with the conditions of such transit pass.
• Removal of timber out of Islands in log or sawn form is strictly prohibited. (d) Issue of transit pass within the Islands for Omamental timber viz. Marblewood, Chool, Satinwood and also burr/buttress of Padauk are strictly prohibited unless covered by permission of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Transit Pass/NOC shall be issued on working days during working hours except at the wharfs/ports or other areas in exigency as deemed expedient by the Divisional Forest Officer in the public interest only after the timber, in round or sawn form, is impressed with the registered property mark of the shipper and the Government hammer mark, in the manner as provided under Rule 9.
• All timber in respect of which a Transit Pass/NOC has been issued by the officers of the Forest Department shall bear a Government hammer mark. While issuing the Transit Pass detailed description of the produce, the property hammer marks and the Government hammer mark borne on the timber, both in the case of logs and sawn timber, shall be recorded in the transit pass itself.
• The Transit Pass holders shall abide by the Transit Rules of the States concerned through or to which the forest produce is transported.
• The import and export of all forest produce into, within and from the Islands, is subject to the control of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Any person importing, exporting or moving forest produce into, from or within the Islands or any person in possession or charge of forest produce in transit, shall produce the Transit Pass/NOC (referred to in Rule 4) on demand by any Forest Officer or Police Officer.
[Notification No 74/2023/F.NoF.(T)/21/Vol-V/03]
