(1) The owner or owners of lands which receive or discharge water through a watercourse shall be bound-
(a) to maintain the watercourse in a fit state of repair;
(b) to maintain all works necessary for the passage across the watercourse of any public road or irrigation or drainage work in use at the time of its construction and of the drainage intercepted by it.
(2) Where one or some of the owners carry-out the obligations imposed under this section and any other or others of them dispute their liability to contribute, an application may be made in writing to the Irrigation Officer by any of the owners setting out the matter in dispute and the Irrigation Officer, shall make necessary inquiry into the matter after giving an opportunity to the parties to be heard and pass such orders thereon as he deems fit.
(3) Against an order passed by the Irrigation Officer under sub-section (2), an appeal shall lie [within thirty days from the date of communication of the order] to the District Collector whose decision thereon shall be final.