An Irrigation Officer duly empowered by the State Government by a notification in respect of any irrigation work or class of irrigation works may, after such inquiry as he deems fit, and after consultation with a committee appointed by the State Government consisting of such number of official and non-official members as may be prescribed, regulate in respect of any irrigation work for each year or for a specified term of years at a time, as circumstances may require,-
(i) the time for letting out water for irrigation;
(ii) the period of supply;
(iii) the quantity of supply; and
(iv) the areas to be supplied at different times.
Explanation.- A land shall be deemed to have been supplied with water if water is made available for irrigation of such land:
1[Provided that where an irrigation work is entrusted to a Water Users Society, the Irrigation Officer, instead of consulting the committee so appointed by the State government, shall,-
(i) in case of a Water Users Society whose area of operation extends to one or more minor irrigation of lift irrigation works, consult such Water Users Society; and
(ii) in other cases, consult the Water Users Project Level Federation.]1 2[Provided further that when an irrigation work is entrusted to a Waters Users Association the irrigation officer instead of consulting the committee so appointed by the State Government shall consult Water Users Association.]2
1. Inserted by Act 24 of 2000 w.e.f. 14.6.2000.
2. Inserted by Act 9 of 2002 w.e.f. 25.2.2002.