37. Power of Gram Panchayat over public streets, water-ways and other matters.
- A Gram Panchayat shall have control over all public streets and water-ways 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 the District Board or any other 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 water-ways;(e)with the sanction of the District Board 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.
