(1) All public roads, streets, lanes and paths, bridges, ditches, dikes and fences, on or beside the same, the bed of the sea and of harbours and creeks below high water mark and of rivers, streams, nallas, lakes and tanks and all canals and water-courses and all standing and flowing waters, and all lands wherever situated which are not the property of individuals or of aggregate of persons legally capable of holding property, and except in so far as any rights of such persons may be established, in or over the same, and except as may be otherwise provided in any law for the time being in force, are and are hereby declared to be with all rights in or over the same or appertaining thereto, the property of the State Government.
Explanation.—In this section, ―high-water mark‖ means the highest point reached by ordinary spring tides at any season of the year.
(2) Where any property or any right in or over any property is claimed by or on behalf of the State Government or by any person as against the State Government, it shall be lawful for the 1[Assistant Commissioner or a survey Officer not lower in rank than the Assistant Commissioner]1, after formal inquiry to pass an order deciding the claim.
[(3) XXX]2 [(3) Such order shall be treated as an original order and shall be appealable only to the jurisdictional Deputy Commissioner, within a period of sixty days under clause (b) of section 49:
Provided that the order of the Deputy Commissioner shall be final and power of revision of the same within the meaning of section 56 of the Act shall lie only with the Revenue Commissioner.]3