Part XVII
OTHER PROVISIONS
Protective Clauses
159. Protection of railways, highways, airports and canals, docks, wharfs and piers.
159. Protection of railways, highways, airports and canals, docks, wharfs and piers.—No person shall, in the generation, transmission, distribution, supply or use of electricity, in any way injure any railway, highway, airports, tramway, canal or water-way or any dock, wharf or pier vested in or controlled by a local authority, or obstruct or interfere with the traffic on any railway, airway, tramway, canal or water-way.
160. Protection of telegraphic, telephonic and electric signalling lines.
160. Protection of telegraphic, telephonic and electric signalling lines.—(1) Every person generating, transmitting, distributing, supplying or using electricity (hereafter in this section referred to as the “operator”) shall take all reasonable precautions in constructing, laying down and placing his electric lines, electrical plant and other works and in working his system, so as not injuriously to affect, whether by induction or otherwise, the working of any wire or line used for the purpose of telegraphic, telephonic or electric signalling communication, or the currents in such wire or line.
(2) Where any difference or dispute arises between the operator and the telegraph authority as to whether the operator has constructed, laid down or placed his electric lines, electrical plant or other works, or worked his system, in contravention of sub-section (1), or as to whether the working of any wire, line or current is or is not injuriously affected thereby, the matter shall be referred to the Central Government and the Central Government, unless it is of opinion that the wire or line has been placed in unreasonable proximity to the electric lines, electrical plant or works of the operator after the construction of such lines, plant or works, may direct the operator to make such alteration in, or additions to, his system as may be necessary in order to comply with the provisions of this section, and the operator shall make such alterations or additions accordingly:
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall apply to the repair, renewal or amendment of any electric line or electrical plant so long as the course of the electric line or electrical plant and the amount and nature of the electricity transmitted thereby are not altered.
(3) Where the operator makes default in complying with the requirements of this section, he shall make full compensation for any loss or damage incurred by reason thereof, and, where any difference or dispute arises as to the amount of such compensation, the matter shall be determined by arbitration.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, a telegraph line shall be deemed to be injuriously affected if telegraphic, telephonic or electric signalling communication by means of such line is, whether through induction or otherwise, prejudicially interfered with by an electric line, electrical plant or other work or by any use made thereof.
161. Notice of accidents and inquires.
161. Notice of accidents and inquires.—(1) If any accident occurs in connection with the generation, transmission, distribution, supply or use of electricity in or in connection with, any part of the electric lines or electrical plant of any person and the accident results or is likely to have resulted in loss of human or animal life or in any injury to a human being or an animal, such person shall give notice of the occurrence and of any such loss or injury actually caused by the accident, in such form and within such time as may be prescribed, to the Electrical Inspector or such other person as aforesaid and to such other authorities as the Appropriate Government may by general or special order, direct.
(2) The Appropriate Government may, if it thinks fit, require any Electrical Inspector, or any other person appointed by it in this behalf, to inquire and report—
(a) as to the cause of any accident affecting the safety of the public, which may have been occasioned by or in connection with, the generation, transmission, distribution, supply or use of electricity, or
(b) as to the manner in, and extent to, which the provisions of this Act or rules and regulations made thereunder or of any licence, so far as those provisions affect the safety of any person, have been complied with.
(3) Every Electrical Inspector or other person holding an inquiry under sub-section (2) shall have all the powers of a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 for the purpose of enforcing the attendance of witnesses and compelling the production of documents and material objects, and every person required by an Electrical Inspector be legally bound to do so within the meaning of Section 176 of the Indian Penal Code.
162. Appointment of Chief Electrical Inspector and Electrical Inspector.
162. Appointment of Chief Electrical Inspector and Electrical Inspector.—(1) The Appropriate Government may, by notification, appoint duly qualified persons to be Chief Electrical Inspector or Electrical Inspectors and every such Inspector so appointed shall exercise the powers and perform the functions of a Chief Electrical Inspector or an Electrical Inspector under this Act and exercise such other powers and perform such other functions as may be prescribed within such areas or in respect of such class of works and electric installations and subject to such restrictions as the Appropriate Government may direct.
(2) In the absence of express provision to the contrary in this Act, or any rule made thereunder, an appeal shall lie from the decision of a Chief Electrical Inspector or an Electrical Inspector to the Appropriate Government or if the Appropriate Government, by general or special order so directs, to an Appropriate Commission.
163. Power for licensee to enter premises and to remove fittings or other apparatus of licensee.
163. Power for licensee to enter premises and to remove fittings or other apparatus of licensee.—(1) A licensee or any person duly authorised by a licence may, at any reasonable time, and on informing the occupier of his intention, enter any premises to which electricity is, or has been, supplied by him, of any premises or land, under, over, along, across, in or upon which the electric supply-lines or other works have been lawfully placed by him for the purpose of—
(a) inspecting, testing, repairing or altering the electric supply-lines, meters, fittings, works and apparatus for the supply of electricity belonging to the licensee; or
(b) ascertaining the amount of electricity supplied or the electrical quantity contained in the supply; or
(c) removing where a supply of electricity is no longer required, or where the licensee is authorised to take away and cut off such supply, any electric supply-lines, meters, fittings, works or apparatus belonging to the licensee.
(2) A licensee or any person authorised as aforesaid may also, in pursuance of a special order in this behalf made by an Executive Magistrate and after giving not less than twenty-four hours notice in writing to the occupier,—
(a) enter any premises or land referred to in sub-section (1) for any of the purposes mentioned therein;
(b) enter any premises to which electricity is to be supplied by him, for the purpose of examining and testing the electric wires fittings, works and apparatus for the use of electricity belonging to the consumer.
(3) Where a consumer refuses to allow a licensee or any person authorised as aforesaid to enter his premises or land in pursuance of the provisions of sub-section (1) or, sub-section (2), when such licensee or person has so entered, refuses to allow him to perform any act which he is authorised by those sub-sections to perform, or fails to give reasonable facilities for such entry or performance, the licensee may, after the expiry of twenty-four hours from the service of a notice in writing on the consumer, cut off the supply to the consumer for so long as such refusal or failure continues, but for no longer.
164. Exercise of powers of Telegraph Authority in certain cases.
164. Exercise of powers of Telegraph Authority in certain cases.—The Appropriate Government may, by order in writing, for the placing of electric lines or electrical plant for the transmission of electricity or for the purpose of telephonic or telegraphic communications necessary for the proper coordination of works, confer upon any public officer, licensee or any other person engaged in the business of supplying electricity under this Act, subject to such conditions and restrictions, if any, as the Appropriate Government may think fit to impose and to the provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, any of the powers which the telegraph authority possesses under that Act with respect to the placing of telegraph lines and posts for the purposes of a telegraph established or maintained, by the Government or to be so established or maintained.
165. Amendment of Sections 40 and 41 of Act 1 of 1894.
165. Amendment of Sections 40 and 41 of Act 1 of 1894.—(1) In Section 40, sub-section (1) of clause (b) and Section 41, sub-section (5) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, the term “work” shall be deemed to include electricity supplied or to be supplied by means of the work to be constructed.
(2) The Appropriate Government may, on recommendation of the Appropriate Commission in this behalf, if it thinks fit, on the application of any person, not being a company desirous of obtaining any land for its purposes, direct that he may acquire such land under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, in the same manner and on the same conditions as it might be acquired if the person were a company.
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