Indian Easements Act, 1882
4. "Easement" defined
An easement is a right which the owner or occupier of certain
land possesses, as such, for the beneficial enjoyment of that land, to do and
continue to do something, or to prevent and continue to prevent something being
done, in or upon, or in respect of certain other land not his own.
Dominant and servant heritages and owners: The land for the
beneficial enjoyment of which the right exists is called the dominant heritage,
and the owner or occupier thereof the dominant owner; and land on which the
liability is imposed is called the servant heritage, and the owner or occupier
thereof the servant owner.
Explanation : In the first and second clauses of this
section the, expression "land" includes also things permanently
attached to the earth; the expression "beneficial enjoyment" includes
also possible convenience, remote advantage, and even a mere amenity; and the
expression "to do something" includes removal and appropriation by
the dominant owner, for the beneficial enjoyment of the dominant heritage, or
any part of the soil of the servant heritage, or anything growing or subsisting
thereon.
Illustrations
(a) A, as the owner of a certain house, has a right of way
thither over his neighbor B’s land for purposes connected with the beneficial
enjoyment of the house. This is an easement.
(b) A, as the owner of a certain house, has the right to go on
his neighbors B’s land, and to take water for the purposes of his household out
of a spring therein. This is an easement.
(c) A, as the owner of a certain house, has the right to conduct
water from B’s stream to supply the fountains in the garden attached to the
house. This is an easement.
(d) A, as the owner of a certain house and farm, has the right
to graze a certain number of his own cattle on B's field, or to take, for the
purpose of being used in the house, by himself, his family, guests, lodgers and
servants, water or fish out of C's tank, or timber out of D's wood, or to use,
for the purpose of manuring his land, the leaves which have fallen from the
trees on E’s land. These are easements.
(e) A dedicates to the public the right to occupy the surface of
certain land for the purpose of passing and re-passing. This right is not an
easement.
(f) A is bound to cleanse a watercourse running through his land
and keep it free from obstruction for the benefit of B, a lower riparian owner.
This is not an easement.