25. Power of Gram Panchayat over public streets, waterways and other matters.
(1)A Gram Panchayat shall have control over all public streets and waterways within its jurisdiction other than canals as defined in section 3 of the Bengal Irrigation Act, 1876, not being private property and not being under the control of the Central or State Government or any local authority, and may do all things necessary for the maintenance and repair thereof, and may -(a)construct new bridges and culverts;(b)divert or close any such public street, bridge or culvert;(c)widen, open, enlarge or otherwise improve any such public street, bridge or culvert and with minimum damage to the neighbouring fields, plant and preserve trees on the sides of such street;(d)deepen or otherwise improve such waterways;(e)with the sanction of the Zilla Parishad [or the Mahakuma Parishad or the Council, as the case may be,] [Words inserted by W.B. Act 20 of 1988.] and where there is a canal as defined in the Bengal Irrigation Act, 1876, with the sanction also of such officer as the State Government may prescribe, undertake irrigation projects;(f)trim hedges and branches of trees projecting on public streets; and(g)set apart by public notice any public source of water supply for drinking or culinary purposes and likewise prohibit all bathing, washing or other acts likely to pollute the source so set apart.(2)A Gram Panchayat may, by a notice in writing, require any person who has caused obstruction or encroachment on or damage to any public street or drain or other property under the control and management of the said Gram Panchayat, to remove such obstruction or encroachment or repair such damage, as the case may be, within the time to be specified in the notice.(3)If the obstruction of encroachment is not removed or damage is not repaired within the time so specified the Gram Panchayat may cause such obstruction or encroachment to be removed or such damage to be repaired and the expenses of such removal or repair shall be recoverable from such person as a public demand.(4)For the purpose of removal of obstruction or encroachment under sub-section (3), the Gram Panchayat may apply to the Sub-divisional Magistrate and the Sub-divisional Magistrate shall, on such application, provide such help as may be necessary for the removal of such obstruction or encroachment.
