Mines and Quarries Act, 1965

Duty of mine owners and managers to seek evidence of proximity of disused workings, water-bearing strata, etc.

71.—(1) It shall be the duty both of the owner and of the manager of every mine—

(a) to take such steps as may be necessary to secure that he is at all material times in possession of all information which indicates or tends to indicate the presence or absence, in the vicinity of any workings carried on or proposed to be carried on in the mine, of

(i) any disused workings (whether mine workings or not);

(ii) any rock or stratum containing or likely to contain water (whether dispersed or in natural cavities);

(iii) any peat, moss, sand, gravel, silt or other material that is likely to flow when wet, and

(b) to take such steps as may be necessary to verify any such information.

(2) It shall be the duty both of the owner and of the manager—

(a) forthwith after any such information comes into his possession to furnish such information to the other, and

(b) forthwith after taking any steps to verify the information, to furnish to the other particulars of the steps taken and of any conclusion reached as a result of taking them.