The Punjab Canal and Drainage Act, 2023
The Punjab Canal and Drainage Act, 2023
This law regulates the construction, management, and maintenance of canals, state tubewells, watercourses, and drainage works across the State of Punjab. It applies to agricultural landowners, farmers, industrial bulk water users, and local water user associations. The legislation empowers government-appointed canal officers to control water supply, adjust irrigation schemes, resolve distribution disputes, collect water fees, and remove unauthorized obstructions or tubewells. By modernizing state water management, it seeks to ensure efficient and equitable water distribution, safeguard vital infrastructure against damage or wasteful misuse, and establish fair compensation processes for property owners affected by public water projects.
- 1. Short title, extent and commencement
- 2. Definitions
- 3. Power to appoint officers
- 4. Utilization of water for public purposes
- 5. Power to prohibit installation of tubewells
- 6. Power of Canal Officer
- 7. Compensation for damages
- 8. Power to enter and regulate water supply
- 9. Power to enter for repairs and payment of compensation.
- 10. State Government to provide means of crossing canals.
- 11. Liability of persons to construct works for passage of water.
- 12. Adjustment of claims between persons jointly using water-course and recovery thereof.
- 13. Preparation of draft scheme.
- 14. Publication of scheme.
- 15. Publication of scheme after approval.
- 16. Appeal and revision.
- 17. Notice of acquisition of land.
- 18. Recovery of cost from shareholders
- 19. Direction for maintenance of water course
- 20. Restoration of demolished or altered etc. watercourse
- 21. Bar on jurisdiction of civil court
- 22. In absence of written contract water supply to be subject to rules
- 23. Power to stop water supply and compensation
- 24. Liability when persons using unauthorisedly cannot be identified
- 25. Liability when water runs to waste
- 26. Charges recoverable in addition to penalties
- 27. Water supplied to cantonments, towns, industry, bulk water supplier, commercial users etc.
- 28. Water supplied for irrigation.
- 29. Water cess by whom payable.
- 30. Certified dues recoverable as land revenue.
- 31. Fines not included in certified dues.
- 32. Detention of vessels violating rules.
- 33. Recovery of fines for offences in navigating canals.
- 34. Power to seize and detain vessel on failure to pay charges.
- 35. Power to seize cargo or goods, if charges due thereon are not paid.
- 36. Procedure for recovery of such charges after seizure.
- 37. Procedure in respect of vessels abandoned and goods unclaimed.
- 38. Powers to prohibit obstructions or order of their removal.
- 39. Power to remove obstructions after prohibition.
- 40. Provisions regarding field drains.
- 41. Preparation of schemes for works of improvement.
- 42. Powers of persons employed on such schemes.
- 43. Rate on lands benefited by works.
- 44. Recovery of rate.
- 45. Disposal of claims to compensation.
- 46. Limitation of such claims.
- 47. Power of Deputy Collector to order use or distribution of water and settlement of differences.
- 48. Correction of clerical error.
- 49. Power to summon and examine witnesses.
- 50. Jurisdiction under this Act of Civil Courts.
- 51. Water user association.
- 52. Offences under the Act.
- 53. Order of the Divisional Canal Officer.
- 54. Saving of prosecution under other laws.
- 55. Protection of action taken in good faith.
- 56. Compensation to the persons injured.
- 57. Power to arrest without warrant.
- 58. Definition of canal.
- 59. Power to remove difficulties.
- 60. Power to make rules.
- 61. Repeal and saving
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