Punjab Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Act, 2020

No: 2 Dated: Feb, 12 2020

THE PUNJAB WATER RESOURCES (MANAGEMENT AND REGULATION) ACT, 2020

(Punjab Act No. 2 of 2020)

    An Act to provide for the management and regulation of water resources of the State for ensuring the judicious, equitable and sustainable utilization and management thereof, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

    Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the Seventieth Year of the Republic of India as follows:-

1. Short title extent and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the Punjab Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Act, 2020.

(2) It shall extend to the whole of the State of Punjab.

(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

2. Definitions. - (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a) "advisory" means a recommendation or advice made under this Act for consideration of the Government and such other entities, as may be specified;

(b) "Authority" means the Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority established under section 3 of this Act;

(c) "category of usage" means the use of water for different purposes such as domestic, irrigation, industrial or commercial purposes, including such other purposes as may be determined by the Authority;

(d) "Chairperson" means the Chairperson of the Authority;

(e) "Council" means the Punjab State Council for Water Management and Development constituted under section 13 of this Act;

(f) "entity" means an organization or authority established under any law or otherwise, including the Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, Zila Parishads, Municipalities and any other Boards or Corporations established by the Union Government or the Government of Punjab and any of its departments;

(g) "Government" means the Government of the State of Punjab in the Department of Water Resources;

(h) "groundwater" means water occurring under its natural state, where it exists below the surface in the zone of saturation whereby it can be extracted through wells or any other means or emerges as springs and base flows in streams and rivers;

(i) "Member" means a Member of the Authority and unless the context requires otherwise, includes the Chairperson;

(j) "person" includes an individual, a company, a firm, an association of individuals or a body of individuals, whether incorporated or not;

(k) "prescribed" means prescribed by the rules made under this Act;

(l) "President" means the President of the Council;

(m) "regulations" means the regulations made by the Authority under this Act;

(n) "Selection Committee" means a Selection Committee constituted under section 5 of this Act;

(o) "specified" means specified by the Government through a notification published in the Official Gazette, unless the context requires otherwise;

(p) "stage of groundwater development" means the ratio of annual groundwater draft and net annual groundwater availability in percentage;

(q) "State" means the State of Punjab;

(r) "volumetric" means a measurement of water on the basis of volume; and

(s) "water" includes surface, sub-surface and groundwater.

    (2) The words and expressions used but not defined in this Act, but defined in various irrigation or water resources related laws in the State, shall have the same meanings respectively assigned to them in those laws.

3. Establishment and incorporation of Authority. - (1) The Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, establish with effect from such date as may be specified in the notification, an Authority to be known as the Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority.

(2) The Authority shall consist of a Chairperson and two other members to be appointed by the Government.

(3) The Authority established under sub-section (1) shall be a body corporate by the name aforesaid, having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power to contract, acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and immovable, and to do all things necessary for the purposes of this Act, and may sue or be sued by its corporate name.

(4) The Head Office of the Authority shall be at such place, as may be notified by the Government.