The Odisha Irrigation Act, 1959
The Odisha Irrigation Act, 1959
The Odisha Irrigation Act, 1959, is a comprehensive legislative framework designed to manage, regulate, and maintain irrigation infrastructure across the state of Odisha. It empowers the government to construct irrigation works, levy water rates and cess on beneficiaries, and ensure the efficient distribution of water for agricultural and other purposes. The Act imposes specific duties on landowners to maintain water-courses and prohibits unauthorized interference with irrigation systems. For the ordinary citizen, particularly farmers, this Act establishes the legal basis for water access, defines financial obligations for water usage, and provides mechanisms for resolving disputes regarding water distribution and infrastructure maintenance.
- 0. Preamble
- 1. Short title and extent
- 2. Application
- 3. Repeal and savings
- 4. Definitions
- 5. Power to enter and survey, etc.
- 6. Power to enter for repairs and to prevent accidents
- 7. Power to prohibit obstructions or to order their removal
- 8. Power to remove obstructions
- 9. State Government to provide means of crossing canals :
- 10. Power to impress labour in emergency
- 11. Construction of water-courses
- 12. Construction, extension, improvement or alteration of a water-course on the application of person interested
- 13. No alteration of water-course except with the consent of Irrigation Officer
- 14. Obligations of owners of land receiving supply from water-course
- 15. Enforcement of said obligations
- 16. Settlement of disputes concerning water-courses
- 17. Use of land acquired for water-course for other purpose
- 18. Construction of water-course by Government and recovery of cost incurred
- 19. Special provision for recovery of past expenses incurred by Government
- 20. Water supply to be subject to rules
- 21. Water to be supplied on written application
- 22. Power to stop water supply
- 23. Duration of supply
- 24. Right to supply of water transferable along with property in respect of which supply given
- 25. No claim against State Government :
- 26. Owner and occupier to afford free passage of water over their lands
- 27. Classification of irrigation works
- 28. Levy of water rates and compulsory basic water rates
- 29. Appeal
- 30. Levy of water cess
- 31. Unauthorised use of water
- 32. Liability of occupiers of lands benefiting from unauthorised use of water
- 33. Dates of payment of charges and mode of recovery of arrears
- 34. Amount payable under this Act to be a charge on the land benefited
- 35. Persons liable to pay the charges under the Act and the extent of such liability
- 36. Concession to the people who have contributed to the cost of execution on an irrigation work
- 37. Exemption of water-rate and compulsory basic water-rate in full or in part
- 38. Meaning of the term "water-rate" used in this Chapter
- 39. For damaging irrigation work etc.
- 40. For endangering stability of irrigation work, etc
- 41. Obstruction to be removed and damage repaired
- 42. Persons employed on canal may take offenders into custody
- 43. Saving of prosecution under other laws
- 44. Payment of fine as award to informant
- 45. Composition of offences
- 46. Appointment of officers and inspection of irrigation works
- 47. Appeals
- 48. Power of revision
- 49. Offences under this Act to be cognizable
- 50. Power to summon and examine witnesses
- 51. Manner of serving notices
- 52. Jurisdiction of Civil Courts barred
- 53. Power to make rules
- 54. Revision of record-of-rights
- 55. Protection of persons acting in good faith and limitation for suit or prosecution :
- 56. Power to remove difficulties
- Schedule. Schedule
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