The Mettur Canal Irrigation Cess Act, 1953
The State of Tamil Nadu enacted The Mettur Canal Irrigation Cess Act, 1953, Tamil Nadu Act No. XVII of 1953, to extend the Bhavani Reservoir Irrigation Cess Act, 1933 to eligible lands irrigated from the Mettur Canal. The Act received the President's assent on 9 September 1953, was first published in the Fort St. George Gazette on 23 September 1953, and states that it comes into force at once.
Purpose and legal effect
The Mettur Canal Irrigation Cess Act, 1953 extends the provisions of the Bhavani Reservoir Irrigation Cess Act, 1933 to certain lands irrigated from the Mettur Canal. The stated reason is that the State Government was excavating a canal from the Mettur Reservoir to irrigate lands in the districts of Coimbatore and Salem, and considered the irrigation conditions similar to those applying to lands served by the Bhavani Reservoir.
The source does not reproduce the detailed cess provisions of the Bhavani Reservoir Irrigation Cess Act, 1933. It therefore does not state the cess rate, calculation method, payment process or collecting authority.
Land covered
The Mettur Canal Irrigation Cess Act, 1953 applies to lands whose irrigation from the Mettur Canal is allowed by or under orders of the State Government. Coverage therefore depends on government-authorised irrigation from that canal, not merely on a property's location near the canal or reservoir.
Key points are:
- The land must be allowed to receive irrigation from the Mettur Canal under State Government orders.
- The Act extends to all lands meeting that condition, subject to the stated exclusion.
- The Act states that it comes into force at once.
Excluded land
The Mettur Canal Irrigation Cess Act, 1953 does not extend to land that, when the Act comes into force, is already entitled to irrigation from another water source belonging to, constructed by, or constructed on behalf of the Government. The alternative source must be a source other than the Mettur Canal.
This exclusion makes the land's irrigation entitlement on the commencement date important. A buyer or owner may need to check both the State Government order permitting Mettur Canal irrigation and any existing entitlement to irrigation from another government source.
What property owners should verify
Property owners and buyers should establish whether the land is authorised to receive Mettur Canal water and whether it qualified for the exclusion when the Act commenced. The supplied copy carries a disclaimer from PRS Legislative Research stating that it has not been independently verified and recommending reference to the relevant state department, latest government publication or gazette notification for authoritative text.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Does the Act apply to every property near the Mettur Canal?
No. It applies to land whose irrigation from the Mettur Canal is allowed by or under State Government orders, subject to the stated exclusion.
Is land with an existing government irrigation source excluded?
The Act excludes land that, when it comes into force, is entitled to irrigation from another water source belonging to, constructed by, or constructed on behalf of the Government.
What irrigation cess rate does the Act impose?
The supplied text does not state a rate. It extends the provisions of the Bhavani Reservoir Irrigation Cess Act, 1933 to eligible Mettur Canal lands.
When did the Act come into force?
The Act states that it comes into force at once. It received the President's assent on 9 September 1953 and was first published in the Fort St. George Gazette on 23 September 1953.
