In this Act unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context-
(a) Act means the Meghalaya Protection of Catchment Areas Act, 1990;
(b) Advisory Board means the Catchment Areas Advisory Board constituted under section 3;
(c) Catchment area means as area where springs streams, rivulets and water sources originate and serve as a potential source of perential flow of water;
1 (1) This Act may be called the Meghalaya protection of (d) Critical catchment area means the area from where springs, streams, rivulets and water heads originate and serve or can potentially serve the water supply system of any village or town or a group of them and the preservation of which is so vital for the life and health of the community;
(e) Competent Authority means the competent authority appointed under section 12;
(f) Government means the Government of the State of Meghalaya;
(g) Land owner means a proprietor or patta holder and includes a person having interest in the land under this Act;
Explanation: land for the purpose of this Act includes trees, buildings and standing crops on it.
(h) measures means the measures specified in section 6;
(i) non-critical catchment area means a catchment area which is not a critical catchment area;
(j) notification means notification by Government published in the Gazette of Meghalaya;
(k) prescribed means prescribed by rule made under this Act;
(l) section means a section of the Act.