Soil Conservation Act 1951 (No. 25 of 1951).

The Act aims at the conservation of soil resources for the prevention or mitigation of soil erosion and at the protection of land against damages by flood and drought. On the basis of surveys and investigations carried out by the Director of Agriculture for the purposes of ascertaining the nature and extent of soil erosion and of damages to land caused by floods and drought, the Minister may by Order published in the Gazette declare any area to be an erodible area. He may also make regulations to be applicable in all erodible areas or in specified erodible areas (a) requiring the owners of land to take adequate measure for the prevention of soil erosion; (b) prohibiting or restricting the clean weeding of land or other agricultural practices conducive to soil erosion; (c) restricting the use of land for agricultural or pastoral purposes; (d) prohibiting or controlling the exploitation of forest and grass land resources; (e) authorizing the appropriate authorities to give directions for seasonal or periodical changes in the type or nature of crops to be cultivated. Protective measures against soil erosion include the power of the Minister to acquire land according to the procedure set out in the Land Acquisition Act.