Forest and Environment Minister Jayanti Natrajan introduced the Indian Forest Amendment Bill, 2012 in the Rajya Sabha today.The Bill proposes to insert a new sub-section in section 68 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 to make it mandatory for the Forest officer to obtain and record the news of Gram Sabha before compounding the offence.The purpose is to ensure the transparency in compounding of the offences and participation of the people at Gram Sabha level.AIR Correspondent reports that Section 68 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 has provisions for compounding of offences.It confers the power upon a Forest officer appointed by the State Government, to accept from any person against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed any forest-offence, a sum of money by way of compensation for the offence which such person is suspected to have committed.