(1) This Act may be called the East Kolkata Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Act, 2006.
(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 16th day of November, 2005.
2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) "Authority" means the East Kolkata Wetlands Management Authority constituted under section 3;
(b) "Chairperson" means the Chairperson of the Authority;
(c) "East Kolkata wetlands" means such of the areas included in the list of Ramsar Sites as are specified in Schedule I and shown in the map in Schedule II.
Explanation 1.—For the purposes of this Act, "Ramsar Sites" means the wetlands of international importance under Ramsar Convention.
Explanation IL—For the purposes of this Act, "Ramsar Convention" means the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Ramsar, Iran;
(d) "land" includes any wetland;
(e) "Land and Land Reforms Department" means the Land and Land Reforms Department of the Government of West Bengal;
(f) "local body" means a Panchayat within the meaning of clause (1) of Article 243B, or a Municipality within the meaning of clause (1) of Article 243Q, of the Constitution or, in the absence of a Panchayat or Municipality, an institution of self-Government constituted or established under any other provision of the Constitution or by or under any Central Act or State Act;
(g) "Member-Secretary" means the Member-Secretary of the Authority;
(h) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette;
(i) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(j) "State Government" means the Government of West Bengal in the Department of Environment;
(k) "water body" includes any land holding water.