law: Indian Forest Act, 1927
  29 . Protected forests.  –
  (1) The State Government may, by notification
  
  in the Official Gazette, declare the provisions of this Chapter applicable to
  
  any forest-land or waste land which is not included in a reserved forest but
  
  which is the property of Government, or over which the Government has
  
  proprietary rights, or to the whole or any part of the forest-produce of which
  
  the Government is entitled.
  (2) The forest-land and waste-lands comprised
  
  in any such notification shall be called a "protected forest".
  (3) No such notification shall be made unless
  
  the nature and extent of the rights of Government and of private persons in or
  
  over the forest-land or waste-land comprised therein have been inquired into
  
  and recorded at a survey or settlement, or in such other manners as the State
  
  Government thinks sufficient. Every such record shall be presumed to be correct
  
  until the contrary is proved:
  Provided that, if, in the case
  
  of any forest-land or waste land, the State Government thinks that such inquiry
  
  and record are necessary, but that they will occupy such length of time as in
  
  the meantime to endanger the rights of Government, the State Government may,
  
  pending such inquiry and record, declare such land to be a protected forest, but
  
  so as not to abridge or affect any existing rights of individuals or
  
  communities.