State Act

The Maharashtra Groundwater (Development and Management) Act, 2009.

29. Establishment, constitution and incorporation of the Watershed Water Resources Committee.— (1) The State Authority shall constitute a Watershed Water Resources Committee for the notified area comprising of area of more than eleven villages in the manner as may be prescribed to perform the functions and duties assigned to it under this Act. (2) The Watershed Water Resources Committee shall consist of the following members, namely:— (a) Chairman of the concerned Panchayat Samiti ex-officio Chairperson; (b) one representative each from every Panchayat and urban local bodies within the notified area who shall be member of Village Water and Sanitation Committee or Watershed Development Technical Committee or any other person having knowledge and experience in water conservation related field or in land use planning and water conservation members; (c) one representative not below the rank of Deputy Engineer each from the Water Supply and Sanitation Department, the Water Resources Department, the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Department, the Ground Water Surveys and Development Agency members; (d) one representative each from every Water Users’ Association in the notified area members; (e) elected members of the concerned Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad ex-officio members; (f) one representative of Non-Government Organisation or Volunteer Organisation working on water conservation, within the notified area member-invitee; (g) representative of concerned Water User’s Association, if a part of the command area of an Irrigation Project is included in the notified area member; (h) Block Development Officer ex-officio Member-Secretary. (3) Atleast one third of the members of the Watershed Water Resources Committee shall be women. (4) The term of office of members of the Watershed Water Resources Committee shall be such as may be prescribed. (5) Every member shall be paid (not being a member representing the State Government) traveling and daily allowances for attending meetings of the Watershed Water Resources Committee at such rates as may be prescribed. (6) The Watershed Water Resources Committee shall meet once in each quarter of the year and as and when required at the time of emergency. The procedure to be followed at the meetings of the Watershed Water Resources Committee and all matters supplementary or ancillary thereto shall be such as may be prescribed. Tahsildar shall be a convener of the metting of the Watershed Water Resources Committee: Provided that, if there are less than eleven villages within the notified area, then the State Authority shall entrust the functions of such Watershed Water Resources Committee to the concerned Panchayat or urban local body.