57. Prohibition against intentionally causing wreck.—The owner, operator, master or person incharge of a vessel plying in inland waters shall not intentionally abandon, desert, dump, throw overboard
or jettison the vessel or property or parts or cargo, so as to cause wreck.
22
58. Receivers of wreck.—(1) The State Government may, by notification, appoint or authorise any
officer to act as receiver of wreck within the respective jurisdiction.
(2) The owner, operator, master or person in-charge of vessel, property or cargo, which is wrecked,
stranded or in distress or who has found any vessel, property or cargo wrecked, stranded or in distress in
the inland waters, shall immediately inform, by all means of communication to the receiver of wreck in
whose jurisdiction the vessel, property or cargo is found to be wrecked, stranded or in distress.
(3) The owner of the wreck, whose property or cargo, is wrecked or stranded or is in distress in the
inland waters shall inform the receiver of wreck in writing of the finding thereof and of the marks by
which such wreck can be distinguished, and in cases, where the wreck is in possession of any person other
than the owner, operator, master or person in-charge of vessel, property or cargo, such person shall
deliver such wreck to the receiver of wreck.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this Chapter, the word “person” shall have the meaning assigned to
it in clause (42) of section 3 of the General Clauses Act, 1897 (10 of 1897).
59. Powers of Central Government to make rules for Chapter X.—For the purposes of this
Chapter, the—
(a) powers and functions of the receiver of wreck;
(b) responsibilities and obligations of the owner, operator, master or person in-charge of vessel,
property or cargo with respect to the wreck;
(c) measures adopted for the removal of obstruction to navigation;
(d) disposal of wreck, including its sale and proceeds of unsold property;
(e) measures to be adopted for protection of wreck, fouling of government moorings;
(f) rights and duties of salvors and performance of salvage operations or resolution of disputes
pertaining to amount payable to salvors; and
(g) such other matter, which the Central Government may deem necessary for the efficient
administration and removal of wrecks, shall be such as may be prescribed by the Central Government