(1)

Whenever it appears to the Central Government that coal is likely to be obtained from land in any locality, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette, give notice of its intention to prospect for coal therein.

(2)

Every notification under sub-section (1) shall give a brief description of the land and state its approximate area.

(3)

On the issue of a notification under sub-section (1), it shall be lawful for the competent [authority] [For appointment of D. General Manager, NCDC Ltd., as competent authority for the purposes of Sections 4(3), 6, 12, 13(6) and 22] and for his servants and workmen-

(a) to enter upon and survey any land in such locality;

(b) to dig or bore into the sub-soil ;

(c) to do all other acts necessary to prospect for coal in the land ;

(d) to set out the boundaries of the land in which prospecting is proposed to be done and the intended line of the work, if any, proposed to be made thereon;

(e) to mark such boundaries and line by placing marks; and where otherwise the survey cannot be completed and the boundaries and line marked, to cut down and clear away any part of any standing crop, fence or jungle:

(4)

In issuing a notification under this section the Central Government shall exclude therefrom that portion of any land in which 73 coal mining operations are actually being carried on in conformity with the provisions of any enactment, rule or order for the time being in force or any premises on which any process ancillary to the getting, dressing or preparation for sale of coal obtained as a result of such operations is being carried on are situate.