Tripura Forest (Timber Marking) Rules, 1985 1. 2. General procedure for tree marking. 3. Stand marking. 4. Log marking. 5. Sale marking. 6. Piece marking.

Tripura Forest (Timber Marking) Rules, 1985

Published vide Notification No. F. 11-1/FOR-81/986, dated 2-9-1985 Published vide Tripura Gazette, Extraordinary No. 196, dated 19-9-1985

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Notification No. F. 11-1/FOR-81/986, dated 2-9-1985. - In exercise of the powers conferred by Sections 41 and 76 (d) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and in supersession of the Government of Tripura, Office of the Conservator of Forests Memo No. F. 11- l/FOR-68/21300-539, dated 22nd August, 1968, the Governor of Tripura is pleased to make the following rules to regulate marking of timber namely :

(1) These rules may be called the Tripura Forest (Timber Marking) Rules, 1985.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the official Gazette.

General procedure for tree marking.- (1) Marking of trees shall be does by an officer not below the rank of a Forester with departmentally supplied marking hammers and digits.

(2) The tree whose felling is not required should not be marked and this should be ascertained by the officer before marking. Marking should be done on the heart-wood of the tree and impression should be very distinct.

Stand marking.- (1) At the first phase the marking should be done on the heart-wood after removal of the bark and sap wood by blazing (size- of blaze should preferably be 9"x9" (i.e., about 2 decimetrex2 decimetre) at two places on the bole of the tree, one within 6', about 1.5 decimetre above the ground level and another at breast height i.e. (4'-6") 1.37, above ground level on the opposite side. On sloping ground the basal marking should be on the down hill side. On both the blazes the serial No. of trees and the year of marking should be impressed with marking digits in the manner shown below :

Illustration

Serial No. of tree......	379
Financial year of marking	68-69

(2) After the marking as aforesaid the Officer should put the T.F.D. hammer impression on both the blazes. The impressions must be distinct so that the serial No. of the hammer is visible.

(3) The girth measurement should be taken, with the help of tape, at breast height after removing loose bark and climbers, if any, to the nearest centimetre and approximate length of commercial bole should be ascertained by eye estimation (Actual length should be taken if the tree is lying). In case the tree is standing in slope the breast height should be measured on the up- hill side. When any tree is forked below the breast height each fork should be treated as though it were a separate tree and should be marked and measured accordingly. In case of buttress and knots or any other abnormality at breast height measurement should be taken immediately above it.

(4) Immediately after stand marking and taking measurements following should be recorded in Field Note Book supplied for the purpose :

(a) Locality i.e. Range, R.F. Block, Compartment or P.F. or allotted land-name of the allottee, C.S. Plot No., Mouza and Sub-Division, if it is from allotted land and the name of the place.

(b) Local name of the tree.

(d) Girth measurement and approximate or actual length of commercial

(e) The Condition of the tree, i.e. if the tree is sound, unsound, fallen, top broken etc. sawnable branches if any, with approximate length. On return to the office the entries should be transferred to the Marking Register issued for the purpose and ¼th royalty is to be realised in case of tree allowed on permit.

Log marking.- (1) The tree can be felled only after stand marking and after realisation of ¼th royalty in case of tree allowed on permit or necessary security deposit and part of valuations for the trees as assessed by the D.F.O. as per terms and conditions of auction/tender/negotiation is paid after the trees are delivered to the party and necessary agreement executed for the lot disposed off by auction/tender/negotiation. After the tree is felled, logging should be done at the site itself. Log marking should be done on the cut surface of the thinner end of each log. The marking should indicate the serial number of the log starting from the bottom logs, serial number of tree and year of stand marking in the manner shown below and with at least 3 impressions of T.F.D. hammer put over the said cut surface. The impressions must be very distinct.

Illustration

Log No...........	2
Serial No. of tree......	379
Year of stand marking	68-69

(2) The sawnable branch of the tree up to a girth of (2'-6") about 7.5 decimetre should also be considered as a log and marked in the same manner, keeping necessary note that it is from a branch of the tree.

(3) The tree is to be felled at a height not above (1) i.e. about 3 decimetre from ground level and on the cut surface of the stump the under noted impressions are to be put alongwith at least 3 impressions of the T.F.D. marking hammer.

Total number of logs..........

Serial No. of tree.........

Year of stand marking.........

The length and mid girth of each log should be measured accurately and recorded in the Field Log Marking Book alongwith number of logs.

(4) The entries made in the field book, should then be transferred in the Register maintained for that purpose that very day. The actual volume is to be calculated and noted and the balance royalty/valuation with other dues are to be realised in full as per the terms and conditions of the sale.

Sale marking.- (1) After realisation of all dues, sales marking is to be done on the cut surface of the thicker end. Impression of sale hammer must be distinct and spread all over the cut surface so that piece of the log may contain impression of hammer. At least three impressions of sale hammer should also be put on the cut surface of each stump and on the cut surface of the thinner end.

(2) The impression of sale marking must be distinct. This will indicate that the tree has been lawfully sold and full dues have been realised. Sale marking on sale can be done by officers not below the rank of Forest Ranger. Logs can be removed from site according to transit rules only after sale marking.

Piece marking.- (1) Ordinarily, sawing logs into pieces will not be allowed in the forests. Under special circumstances this can be granted by Divisional Forest Officer after obtaining written permission from the party and after satisfying himself that sawing will not cause any damage to the existing Forests. In such case the pieces converted for the logs should have the following marking at one end of the piece before these are removed from the site :

Piece number/Log number/Tree number/Year of stand marking.

(2) The Officer who puts these marking should also put the impression of his T.F.D. hammer near these marking. The impressions must be distinct.

The measurements of all the pieces are to be recorded separately to the nearest centimetre and recorded in the Register.

(3) Marking hammers shall be allotted to Forest Officers by name. These are not transferable. For any misuse of any particular hammer, the Officer to whom the hammer has been allotted shall who held responsible. Divisional Forest Officer will also include any other Forest Officers who is placed in charge of a Division.