(1)

The State Government, may by notification, appoint any designated authority for the purposes of this Chapter.

(2)

The owner, operator or master of a mechanically propelled inland vessel, shall give information of any wreck, abandonment, damage, casualty, accident, explosion or loss occurred to or on board such a vessel while in the inland waters, to the officer in-charge of the nearest police station and to the designated authority appointed under sub-section (1), in such form and manner as may be prescribed by the State Government.

(3)

The designated authority shall at once report the contents of the information referred to in sub-section (2) to the District Magistrate.

(4)

The officer in-charge of the police station shall, on receipt of information referred to in sub-section (2), investigate into the matter and submit a report to the jurisdictional Judicial Magistrate in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XII of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).

(5)

The Judicial Magistrate may, on receiving the report referred to in sub-section (4), take action as he may deem fit in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XVI.