11. Payment for non-payment of cess within the specified time.- If any amount of cess payable by any person carrying on any *[industry] or any local authority under section 3 is not paid to the State Government within the date specified in the order of assessment made under section 6, it shall be deemed to be in arrears and the authority prescribed in this behalf may, after such inquiry as it deems fit, impose on such person or, as the case may be, local authority, a penalty not exceeding the amount of cess in arrears:
Provided that before imposing any such penalty, such person or, as the case may be, the local authority shall be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard and if after such hearing the said authority is satisfied that the default was for any good and sufficient reason, no penalty shall be imposed under this section.
*[Substituted by Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess (Amendment) Act, 2003, section 3]
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