31. Amendment to Act 25 of 1972.—

In the Kerala Plant Diseases and Pests Act, 1972 (15 of 1972),— (1) in section 2, (i) clause (b) shall be omitted; (ii) after clause (c), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:— "(cc) "local authority" means a district panchayat constituted under section 4 of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994(13 of 1994) or a municipality constituted under section 4 of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994)."; (2) in clause (d) of section 3, for the words "the District Collector" the words "the local authority" shall be substituted; (3) for the words "the District Collector" occurring in sub section (1) of section 4, sub-section(1) of section 7, clauses (a) and (b) of sub-section (1) of section 8, sub-sections (1), (2) and (3) of section 9 and section 12, the words "Secretary of the local authority" shall respectively be substituted; (4) in section 12, for the words "All Village Officers, Village extension officers", the words "The Agricultural Officers in charge of a village panchayat area or a municipal area" and for the words" make a further report to the Government" the words "make a report to the local authority concerned and the Government" shall respectively be substituted; (5) for section 13, the following shall be substituted, namely:— "13. Appointment of Inspecting Officers.—The Government or the local authority concerned may appoint Agricultural Officers in charge of village panchayat area or municipal area as Inspecting Officers thereof.".