17. (1) The Government may impose in the prescribed manner on an acreage basis a cess on all private forests within a notified area with effect from such date, not being before the expiry of three years from the date of publication of a notification under section 3, as the said Government may appoint. (2) Such cess shall be so calculated as to yield a sum not greater than that which is sufficient to meet the cost of the Regional Forest Officer and his staff, including any expenses incurred in connection with their work to be determined in the prescribed manner. (3) If the Regional Forest Officer or his staff does any work in connection with a Government forest, a proportionate deduction shall be made from the cost of such Regional Forest Officer and of his staff before the cess is calculated under sub-section (2). (4) Every cess imposed under sub-section (1) shall be recoverable as a public demand under the ¹[* * *] Public Demands Recovery Act, 1913. (5) The Government may, by general or special order, exempt any private forest in a notified area from the payment of any cess imposed under sub-section (1) or of any portion of any such cess for such period as may be specified in such order.