An Act to provide for the declaration of the Talcher-Dhamra stretch of Brahmani-Kharsua-

Dhamra rivers, Geonkhali-Charbatia stretch of East Coast Canal, Charbatia-Dhamra stretch of Matai river and Mahanadi delta rivers between Mangalgadi and Paradip in the States of West Bengal and Orissa to be a national waterway and also to provide for the regulation and development of the said stretch of the rivers and the canals for the purposes of shipping and navigation on the said waterway and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty-ninth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—

(1) This Act may be called the National Waterway

(Talcher-Dhamra Stretch of Rivers, Geonkhali-Charbatia Stretch of East Coast Canal, Charbatia-

Dhamra Stretch of Matai River and Mahanadi Delta Rivers) Act, 2008.

(2) It shall come into force on such date 1

as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

The Talcher-

Dhamra stretch of Brahmani-Kharsua-Dhamra rivers, Geonkhali-Charbatia stretch of East Coast Canal, Charbatia-Dhamra stretch of Matai river and Mahanadi delta rivers between Mangalgadi and Paradip, the limits of which are specified in the Schedule, is hereby declared to be a National Waterway.

It is hereby declared that it is expedient in the public interest that the Union should take under its control the regulation and development of Talcher-Dhamra stretch of Brahmani-Kharsua-Dhamra rivers, Geonkhali-Charbatia stretch of East Coast Canal, Charbatia-

Dhamra stretch of Matai river and Mahanadi delta rivers between Mangalgadi and Paradip for the purposes of shipping and navigation on the national waterway to the extent provided in the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985 (82 of 1985).



1. 25th November, 2008, vide notification No. S.O. 2718(E), dated 25th November, 2008, see Gazette of India,

Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii).

(See section 2)



LIMITS OF THE NATIONAL WATERWAY (TALCHER-DHAMRA STRETCH OF BRAHMANI-KHARSUA-

DHAMRA RIVERS, GEONKHALI-CHARBATIA STRETCH OF EAST COAST CANAL,

CHARBATIA DHAMRA STRETCH OF MATAI RIVER AND MAHANADI DELTA RIVERS)

East Coast Canal and Matai river

(Consisting of old Hijli tidal canal, Orissa coast canal and Matai river)

Northern limit Confluence point of Hooghly river and Hijli tidal canal at Geonkhali at Lat 22º 12' 20” N, Lon 88º 03' 07” E.

Southern limit Confluence of Matai river and Dhamra river near Dhamra Fishing harbour at Lat 20º 47' 42” N,

Lon 86º 53' 03” E.



Brahmani-Kharsua-Dhamra river system

(Consisting of Brahmani-Kharsua-Dhamra rivers)

North-Western limit Samal barrage across river Brahmani, Talcher at Lat 21º 04' 26” N, Lon 85º 08' 05” E.

South-Eastern limit An imaginary line drawn across Dhamra river at East Point of Kalibhanj Dian Reserved Forest near Chandnipal at Lat 20º 46' 26” N, Lon 86º

57' 15” E.



Mahanadi delta rivers

(Consisting of Hansua river, Nuna nala, Gobri nala, Kharnasi river and Mahanadi river) (Alternate route-Hansua river enters into Bay of Bengal through northern point of False point bay, then enters river Kharnasi at southern end of False point bay, river Atharabanko, a northernly distributory of river Mahanadi)

Northern limit Confluence of Kharsua river with Brahmani river at Ramchandrapur at Lat 20º 36' 55” N,

Lon 86º 45' 05” E.

Southern limit An imaginary line in continuation to the Northern break water structure across the entrance channel at Paradip Port at Lat 20º 15'

38” N, Lon 86º 40' 55” E