WATERCOURSE ASSOCIATIONS
55. Composition –
1) In every local area, a group of non-elected farmers may, for energizing the farming community and improving service delivery, set up a WCA and undertake voluntary, proactive and self help initiatives.
2) Where not less than two third of the number of the land owners and leaseholders on a Watercourse agree to form a WCA, they shall make such application to the FO.
Provided that if no FO is in place, then the application shall be considered to be an application to form an FO. The application shall be sent to the Regulatory Authority which will then register the WCA.
3) The boundaries of the area of a WCA shall coincide with the command area of the watercourse giving it its name and shall be clearly delineated on a topographic map of scale sufficient for the purpose.
56. Registration -
1) Members of the WCA are the listed land owners and leaseholders benefiting from the water flowing in the watercourse. The list of members is deposited at the FO, which shall issue a certificate of registration to the WCA and such certificate shall be the proof of the WCA's membership of the FO.
2) The FO shall, within sixty days of the receipt of the application under the previous section, call a meeting of all the users of the Watercourse and, if not less than two-third number, thereof consent to the formation of the WCA by a resolution in the meeting, all users of the Watercourse shall become members of the WCA, notwithstanding the want of consent of the remaining users.
3) The FO shall register the WCA in the name of the watercourse by entering it in the register to be maintained for this purpose, including particulars as may be specified by the FO.
4) The list of members of the WCA shall, in the prescribed manner, be revised annually and kept up-to-date.
57. Organisation –
1) The Board of the WCA shall consist of not less than three and not more than five members elected from amongst the members of the WCA according to regulations set by the FO.
2) The members of the WCA may agree that one or more officials be appointed to the Board as members without vote.
3) Section 5, sub-sections (6) to (8) are mutatis mutandis applicable.
4) A matter shall be deemed to have been approved by the Board, if it is supported by not less than two-third number of the total membership of the listed members of the WCA.
58. Terms and Conditions of Service of Chairman and Members –
1) The first tenure after the coming into effect of this Ordinance shall be two years and tenure thereafter shall be four years.
2) The Board shall elect its Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer from amongst its elected members; provided that the same member may be elected both as Secretary and Treasurer.
3) No elected member of the Board shall serve for more than two consecutive terms on the Board.
4) The Chairman of the Board shall call and preside over the meetings of the Board; provided that in his absence an elected member of the Board nominated by the Chairman shall preside over the meeting.
5) The Secretary shall be responsible for recording minutes of the meetings of the Board and of the WCA and for maintaining the records in good order at safe place.
6) The Treasurer shall maintain the accounts of the WCA.
