(1) The Government shall, as soon as may be after the commencement of this Act. by notification, constitute a Board by the name of “The Guwahati Metropolitan Drinking Water and Sewerage Board” for the proper and effective operation, implementation, maintenance, augmentation and expansion of the water supply and sewerage services in the Guwahati Metropolitan Area.
(2) The Board shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power, subject to the provisions of this Act and the rules made there under, to acquire, hold and dispose of property, and enter into contracts, and shall by the said name sue and be sued.
(3) For the purposes of this Act and the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, the Board shall be deemed to be a local authority.
(4) (a) The Board shall consist of the following members:-
(i) The Minister in-charge of the Guwahati Development Department shall be the Chairman;
(ii) The Mayor, Guwahati Municipal Corporation shall be the Vice Chairman;
(iii) Secretary to the Government of Assam, Finance Department, shall be the Ex-officio Director;
(iv) Secretary to the Government of Assam, Guwahati Development Department, shall be the Ex-officio Director;
(v) Secretary to the Government of Assam, Public Health Engineering Department, shall be the Ex-officio Director;
(vi) Commissioner, Guwahati Municipal Corporation, shall be the Ex-officio Director;
(vii) Chief Executive Officer, Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority, shall be the Ex-officio Director;
Assam Act Nol o f 1973 Assam Act No XX of 1985 Central Act 1 of 1894 396 THE ASSAM GAZETTE, EXTRAORDINARY, FEBRUARY 28, 2009
(viii) Managing Director, Guwahati Metropolitan Drinking Water and Sewerage Board, shall be the Ex-officio Director of the Board.
(b) No act done by the Board shall be called in question on the ground only of the existence of any vacancy or any defect in the constitution of the Board.
(c) In absence of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman shall carry out the duties and responsibilities of the Chairman. In the absence of both, the Chairman or the Vice Chairman can depute in writing any one of the Directors to carry out the functions of the Chairman during the period of such absence.