Section 3 in Andhra Pradesh Farmers Management of Irrigation Systems Act, 1997
3. Delineation of Water Users' Area and Constitution of an Association.
(1)The District Collector may, by notification and in accordance with the rules made under this Act, in this behalf, delineate every command area under each of the irrigation systems on a hydraulic basis which may be administratively viable; and declare it to be a Water Users' Area for the purpose of this Act :Provided that in respect of the command area under the minor and lift irrigation systems, the entire command area may, as far as possible, form a single Water Users' Area.(2)[ Every Water Users Area shall be divided into Territorial Constituencies which shall be six in Minor Irrigation systems and twelve in Major and Medium Irrigation Systems.] [Substituted by Act No. 7 of 2003, dated 23.4.2003.](3)there shall be a Water Users' Association called by its local distinct name for every Water Users' Area delineated under sub-section (1).(4)Every Water Users' Association shall consist of the following members, namely(i)all the water users who are land holders in a Water Users' Area;Provided that where both the owner and the tenant are land holders in respect of the same land, the tenant;[Provided further that any person who is in lawful possession and enjoyment of the land under a water source, on proof of such possession and such enjoyment in a crop year, may claim membership notwithstanding whether he is a recorded land holder or not, in which case the Water Users Association shall not refuse the membership of such person for the purposes of this Act, and such person shall be liable to pay the water charges and the fees as may be prescribed as if he is a land holder under a water source.] [Added by Act No. 1 of 1999, dated 1.1.1999.](ii)all other water users co-opted in a Water Users' Area;(iii)members specified in Clauses (i) and (ii) shall constitute the General Body for a Water Users' Association;(iv)a person eligible to become a member of more than one territorial constituency of a Water Users' Association under Clause (i) shall be entitled to be a member of only one territorial constituency and he shall exercise his option thereof as prescribed;(v)members specified in Clause (1) shall alone have the right to vote.
