26. Acts prohibited in such forests.- (1) Any person who - (a) makes any fresh clearing prohibited by section 5, or (b) sets fire to a reserved forest, or, in contravention of any rules made by the State Government in this behalf, kindles any fire, or leaves any fire burning, in such manner as to endanger such a forest; or who, in a reserved forest - (c) kindles, keeps or carries any fire except at such seasons as the Forest-officer may notify in this behalf. (d) trespasses or pastures cattle, or permits cattle to trespass; (e) causes any damage by negligence in felling any tree or cutting or dragging any timber; (f) fells, girdles, lops, or burns any tree or strips off the bark or leaves from, or otherwise damages, the same; (g) quarries stone, burns lime or charcoal, or collects, subjects to any manufacturing process, or removes, any forest-produce; (h) clears or breaks up any land for cultivation or any other purpose; (i) in contravention of any rules made in this behalf by the State Government hunts, shoots, fishes, poisons water or sets traps or snares; or (j) in any area in which the Elephant's Preservation Act, 1879 (6 of 1879), is not in force, kills or catches elephants in contravention of any rules so made, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both, in addition to such compensation for damage done to the forest as the convicting Court may direct to be paid. (2) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit - (a) any act done by permission in writing of the Forest-officer, or under any rule made by the State Government; or (b) the exercise of any right continued under clause (c) of sub-section (2) of section 15, or created by grant or contract in writing made by or on behalf of the Government under section 23. (3) Whenever fire is caused willfully or by gross negligence in a reserved forest, the State Government may (notwithstanding that any penalty has been inflicted under this section ) direct that in such forest or any portion thereof the exercise of all rights of pasture or to forest-produce shall be suspended for such period as it thinks fit. | 
