THE WORK OF THE FOREST DEPARTMENT IN INDIA. 9 



ments are the Burma Forest Act, IV of 1902, and the Madras 

 Forest Act, V of 1882, while Assam, the North- West Frontier 

 Province, British Baluchistan and Ajmer have their own forest 

 regulations. 



4. Administration and Staff. 



General administration. — The forest business of the Gov- 

 ernment of India is carried out in the Department of Revenue 

 and Agriculture. The Inspector- General of Forests is the 

 administrative head of the Forest Department and is the techni- 

 cal adviser to the Government of India in forest matters. 



Territorial charges. — The various provinces are divided into 

 one or more Forest Circles, each in charge of a Conservator of 

 Forests ; provinces containing three or more circles also have a 

 Chief Conservator who is the head of the Department for his 

 province.* Circles are divided into a number of Forest Divi- 

 sions, in charge of members of the Imperial or Provincial 

 Forest Service; these Divisions in most cases correspond to civil 

 districts. Each Division contains a number Of Ranges in 

 charge of junior members of the Provincial Service or of Forest 

 Rangers or Deputy Rangers ; heavy Divisions are also some- 

 times divided into Subdivisions. The Ranges are further 

 subdivided into a number of beats or protective charges held by 

 Forest Guards or in some cases by Foresters. 



Non-territorial charges. — Apart from territorial charges 

 there are various important posts of a non-territorial nature 

 connected with Forest Research and Education, the prepara- 

 tion of Forest Working Plans and other special duties. Among 

 special posts may be mefitioned that of Assistant Inspector- 

 General of Forests, who in addition to Secretariat work helps 

 the Inspector-General of Forests in the scrutiny of working 

 plans referred to in section 6 below. 



The Forest Service. — The Forest Service comprises three 

 branches : — 



(1) The Imperial Service with a total personnel of 237 

 oflScerst consisting of the Inspector- General of 



* No appointment of Chief Conservator has yet been sanctioned for Madras. For 

 Bombay the post, though sanctioned, has not yet been filled, 

 t On the 1st July 1916. 



