Section 20. (1) The Governor General in Council may, for the whole or any part of British India, and each Local

(3) The power to make rules conferred by this section is subject to the condition of the rules being made after previous publication. (5) Where a Mining Board has been constituted under section 9, any rule to be made under this Act shall, before it is published for criticism under sub-section (3), be referred to the Mining Board, and the rule shall not be so published until the said Board has reported as to the expediency of making the proposed rule and as to the suitability of its provisions. (4) The date to be specified in accordance with clause (3) of section 23 of the General Clauses Act, X of 1897, as that after which a draft of rules proposed to be made under this section will be taken into consideration, shall not be less than three months from the date on which the draft of the proposed rules was published for general information. (6) All rules made under this section shall be published in the Gazette of India or in the local official. 1901.] Mines. 139 (Special Rules.—Section 21.) official Gazette, as the case may be, and, on such publication, shall have effect as if enacted in this Act. (2) In 136 Mines. [ACT VIII (Rules.—Section 20.) 20. (1) The Governor General in Council may, for the whole or any part of British India, and each Local Government, with the previous sanction of the Governor General in Council, may, for the whole or any part of the Province, by notification in the Gazette of India or the local official Gazette, as the case may be, make rules for carrying out the purposes and objects of this Act in respect of all mines or any groups or classes of mines. Power for Government to make rules. (2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may— (a) regulate the duties and powers of the Chief Inspector and of Inspectors of Mines in respect of the inspection of mines under this Act, and provide for appeals from the orders of the Chief Inspector and Inspectors of Mines; (b) provide for the appointment of chairmen and members of Mining Boards and Committees and regulate the procedure of such Boards and Committees; (c) prescribe the duties of owners, agents and managers of mines and of all persons acting under them; (d) prescribe the qualifications of managers and of all persons acting under them; (e) regulate the manner of ascertaining, by examination or otherwise, the qualifications of managers and persons acting under them, and the granting and renewal of certificates of competency; (f) fix the fees (if any) to be paid in respect of such examinations and the grant and renewal of certificates as aforesaid; (g) provide for the making of inquiries into charges of misconduct or incompetency on the part of managers and persons acting under them, and for the suspension and cancellation of certificates of competency; (h) prescribe the matters in respect of which notices, returns and reports shall be furnished by owners, agents and managers, the forms of such notices, returns and reports, the persons and authorities to whom they are to be furnished and the particulars to be contained in them; (i) prescribe 1901.] Mines. 137 (Rules.—Section 20.) V of 1884. (i) prescribe the plans (if any) to be kept by owners, agents and managers, and the manner and places in which they are to be kept for purposes of record; (j) regulate, subject to the provisions of the Indian Explosives Act, 1884, and the rules thereunder, the storage and use of explosives; (k) provide for the safety of the persons employed in mines, their means of entrance thereinto and exit therefrom, the number of shafts or outlets to be furnished, the fencing of shafts, outlets and passages, and the care of all machinery; (l) prohibit, restrict or regulate the employment of women or children either below ground or on particular kinds of labour where such employment is attended by danger to the life, safety or health of such women or children; (m) require owners or agents to maintain registers of women and children employed, and prescribe the forms of such registers; (n) provide for the water-supply, sanitation and conservancy of mines; (o) provide for the safety of the roads and working places in mines; (p) provide for the ventilation of mines and the action to be taken in respect of noxious gases; (q) require and regulate the use of safety lamps in mines; (r) provide against the accumulation of water in mines; (s) regulate the procedure on the occurrence of accidents in mines and the supply of medical appliances and comforts for the benefit of persons injured therein; (l) provide 138 Mines. [ACT VIII (Rules.—Section 20.) (t) provide for the fencing of any mine or part of a mine, whether the same is being worked or not, where such fencing is necessary for the protection of the public; (u) provide for the protection of public property and works from injury in respect of any mine when the workings are discontinued; and (v) prescribe the notice to be given by the owner, agent or manager of a mine before extending any mining operations under his control at or to any point within fifty yards of any railway subject to the provisions of the Indian Railways Act, 1890, or of any public works or classes of public works which the Local Government may, by general or special order, specify in this behalf.