Chapter I PRELIMINARY

1. (1) This Act may be called the Meghalaya Flood Plain Zoning Act, 2026.
2. (2) It extends to the whole State of Meghalaya.
3. (3) It shall come into force on the date of its notification in the official Gazette.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires -

1. (a) 'Act' means the Meghalaya Flood Plain Zoning Act, 2026;
2. (b) 'adjudicating authority' means an officer appointed by the State Government for the purpose of adjudication and imposition of penalty under this Act;
3. (c) 'appellate authority' means an authority appointed by the State Government under Section 15 of this Act;
4. (d) 'Authority' means the Flood Zoning Authority constituted by the State Government under Section 3 of the Meghalaya Flood Plain Zoning Act, 2026;
5. (e) 'flood plain' means and includes water channel, flood channel and that area of nearby low land susceptible to flood inundation;
6. (f) 'flood plain zoning' means regulating or restricting any human activity, land use, or development within the flood plains and flood zones of a river or stream;
7. (g) 'flood zone' means the area which is required to carry the flow of the maximum probable floods;
8. (h) 'land' includes interest in lands, benefits arising out of lands and

things attached to the earth or permanently fastened to anything

attached to the earth;

1. (i) 'occupier' in respect of any land, means any person who has an interest in the land and cultivates the land himself or by his servants or by hired labour and includes a tenant;

1. (j) 'official Gazette' means the Gazette of Meghalaya;
2. (k) 'owner' in relation to any land includes any person having interest in such land;
3. (l) 'prescribed' means prescribed by rules made by the State Government under this Act;
4. (m) 'river' means and includes its tributaries;
5. (n) 'State Government' means the State Government of Meghalaya; and
6. (o) 'water channel' means the channel in which the flow of a river is generally confined.