7. Power to prohibit the unauthorised construction of and to close unauthorised canal.
(1)If any person, without the permission necessary under sections 4 and 5 of this Act, or contrary to any of the conditions of such permission, commences to construct or proceeds with the construction of any canal, the Collector may, at any time, by order in writing, prohibit such person, and by general proclamation all other persons, from continuing the construction thereof :Provided that, unless in the case of a construction which would materially extend the area irrigable by a canal, no such order or proclamation, as the case may be, shall be made or issued in respect of any canal which, at the time when it is proposed to make or issue such order or proclamation, has been used for irrigation for a period of three years without interruption other than such as was due to natural causes beyond the control of the person aforesaid.(2)If any person shall, at any time after the commencement of this Act, construct a canal without the permission necessary under section 4 and 5 of this Act, the Collector may, with the previous sanction of the [State Government], close it and shut off the supply of water thereto and may further, by order in writing, prohibit such person, and, by general proclamation, all other persons from maintaining, repairing or renewing such canal or continuing to use the water thereof.
