Vidhi Codex

The Maharashtra Khar Land Development Act, 1979

The Maharashtra Khar Land Development Act, 1979

General197934 sections

The Maharashtra Khar Lands Development Act, 1979 regulates the reclamation, protection, and management of tidal lands, known as khar lands, in coastal districts of Maharashtra, including Greater Bombay, Thane, Kulaba, and Ratnagiri. It applies to landowners, occupiers, and local village panchayats within these areas. Under this law, the state government plans and builds protective embankments to prevent saltwater intrusion, thereby turning saline soil into cultivable land. This act matters because it restores degraded coastal land for agriculture, protects local farming livelihoods from tidal flooding, and establishes shared responsibility between the state government and local communities to maintain essential flood defense infrastructure.

Start reading →Read full ActSections
  1. 1. Short title, extent and commencement.
  2. 2. Definitions.
  3. 3. Duties and powers of State Government.
  4. 4. Khar Lands Development Officers.
  5. 5. Chief Controlling Authority.
  6. 6. Preparation of schemes.
  7. 7. Publication of draft scheme and of final scheme.
  8. 8. Commencement and effect of scheme.
  9. 9. Execution of scheme.
  10. 10. Power to vary scheme.
  11. 11. Power to revoke scheme.
  12. 12. Entry in record of rights and restrictions on use of lands for non-agricultural purposes.
  13. 13. Forfeiture of lease of land in scheme for failure to cultivate or to pay cess.
  14. 14. Village Panchayats responsible for supervision, maintenance and repairs of embankments.
  15. 15. Advisory Committee.
  16. 16. Right of entry.
  17. 17. Acquisition of land, right or interest.
  18. 18. Claim for amount for consequential damage.
  19. 19. No amount payable in certain cases for use or removal of earth.
  20. 20. Khar lands cess.
  21. 21. Levy of Khar lands cess.
  22. 22. Responsibility for payment of cess.
  23. 23. Provisions of Code to apply for collection and recovery of cess.
  24. 24. Penalty for default in payment of cess.
  25. 25. Recovery of arrears of cess and penalty as arrears of land revenue.
  26. 26. Power to compel certain persons to carry out repairs or works required urgently.
  27. 27. Regulation of fishing rights.
  28. 28. Inquiries to be made summarily.
  29. 29. Registration of documents, plan or map in connection with scheme not required.
  30. 30. Protection of persons acting in good faith.
  31. 31. Penalty.
  32. 32. Rules.
  33. 33. Repeal and savings.
  34. 34. Repeal of Maharashtra Ord. II of 1979 and savings.

PDF: pending for this language.