Section 10Prevention of unauthorised use or waste of water

s. 10

10. Prevention of unauthorised use or waste of water (1) It shall be the duty of the owners or occupiers of lands in the notified area to take proper precautions for the prevention of waste of the water supplied through any canal in the area or use of such water in an unauthorised manner. (2) If water supplied through a canal be suffered to run to waste, the person by whose act or neglect such water is suffered to run to waste shall be liable to pay a penalty which may extend to ten times the water rate that could be charged if the water so wasted were supplied in bulk. (3) If water supplied through a canal in the area be used in an unauthorised manner, the person by whose act or neglect such use has occurred shall be liable to pay a panalty which may extend to five times the water rate assessed on the land in which such water is used or on which such water has flowed. (4) A penalty under this section may be imposed by the Deputy Commissioner after causing such enquiry as he deems necessary and after giving the persons liable to pay the penalty an opportunity of showing cause against the imposition of such penalty. (5) Any person aggrieved by an order imposing a penalty on him under this section may, within thirty days from the date of receipt of the order, appeal to such appellate authority as may be prescribed, and the decision of the appellate authority in such appeal shall be final.