(1) The owner and agent of every mine shall jointly and severally be responsible for making financial and other provisions and for taking such other steps as may be necessary for compliance with the provisions of this Code and the rules, regulations, bye-laws and orders made thereunder, relating to mine.
(2) In the event of any contravention by any person whosoever of any of the provisions of this Code or of the rules, regulations, bye-laws or orders made thereunder, relating to mine, except those which specifically require any person to do any act or thing or prohibit any person from doing an act or thing, besides the person who contravenes, then, each of the following persons shall also be deemed to be guilty of such contravention unless he proves that he had used due diligence to secure compliance with the provisions and had taken reasonable means to prevent such contravention, namely:—
(a) the official or officials appointed to perform duties of supervision in respect of the provisions contravened;
(b) the manager of the mine;
(c) the owner and agent of the mine;
(d) the person appointed, if any, to carry out the responsibility under section 24.
(3) It shall not be a defence in any proceedings brought against the owner or agent of a mine under this section that the manager and other officials have been appointed in accordance with the provisions of this Code or that a person to carry the responsibility under section 24 has been appointed.
