1. Short title and commencement.-
(1) This Act may be called the National Waterway (Talcher-Dhamra Stretch of Rivers, Geonkhali-Charbatia Stretch of East Coast Canal, Charbatia-Dhamra Stretch of Matai River and Mahanadi Delta Rivers) Act, 2008.
(2) It shall come into force on such date1 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
1. 25th November, 2008, vide notification No. S.O. 2718(E), dated 25th November, 2008, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii).
2. Declaration of certain stretches of rivers and canals as National Waterway.-
The Talcher-Dhamra stretch of Brahmani-Kharsua-Dhamra rivers, Geonkhali-Charbatia stretch of East Coast Canal, Charbatia-Dhamra stretch of Matai river and Mahanadi delta rivers between Mangalgadi and Paradip, the limits of which are specified in the Schedule, is hereby declared to be a National Waterway.
3. Declaration as to expediency of control by the Union of certain stretches of rivers and canals for certain purposes.-
It is hereby declared that it is expedient in the public interest that the Union should take under its control the regulation and development of Talcher-Dhamra stretch of Brahmani-Kharsua-Dhamra rivers, Geonkhali-Charbatia stretch of East Coast Canal, Charbatia-Dhamra stretch of Matai river and Mahanadi delta rivers between Mangalgadi and Paradip for the purposes of shipping and navigation on the national waterway to the extent provided in the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985 (82 of 1985).