Section 21. Notification of area of influence and prohibition of construction of Wells within certain limits.

(1) After the Public Drinking Water Source is notified under section 20, no person shall sink any Well for any purpose within a distance of five hundred metres of such Public Drinking Water Source. The District Authority shall also define and notify the area of influence around the Public Drinking Water Source, based on the data provided by the Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency. Upon such area of influence being notified, no person shall sink any Well for any purpose, in such area of influence : Provided that, the provisions of this sub-section shall not apply to the sinking of a Well on behalf of the State Government or any local authority for being used as a Public Drinking Water Source. (2) Sinking of any Well in contravention of the provisions of sub-section (1) shall ensue closure or confiscation of such well by the District Authority. No compensation or damages shall be payable for any closure or confiscation under this sub-section and any such closure or confiscation shall be without prejudice to any of the provisions of section 52.