Section 38. Liability when person using water unauthorized cannot be identified

If water supplied through a canal or a water course is used in an unauthorized manner, and if the person by whose act or neglect such use has occurred cannot be identified, the person on whose land such water has flowed if such land has derived benefit therefrom, or if such person cannot be identified or if such land has not derived benefit therefrom and the owner of such land has not informed timely about such unauthorized flow of water to the competent authority., all the persons chargeable in respect of the water supplied, shall be liable, or jointly liable, as the case may be, to the charges made for such use.