(1)  Where a permit, lease, licence, or pipeline licence is granted subject to a condition that works or operations specified in the permit, lease, licence, or pipeline licence are to be carried out, the permittee, lessee, licensee, or pipeline licensee, as the case may be, shall commence to carry out those works or operations within a period of 6 months after the day on which the permit, lease, licence, or pipeline licence, as the case may be, comes into force.

(2)  The Minister may, for reasons that he thinks sufficient, by instrument in writing served on a permittee, lessee, licensee, or pipeline licensee –

(a) exempt him from compliance with the requirements of subsection (1) ; and

(b) direct him to commence to carry out the works or operations specified in the permit, lease, licence, or pipeline licence, as the case may be, within such period after the day on which the permit, lease, licence, or pipeline licence, as the case may be, comes into force as is specified in the instrument.

(3)  If a person to whom a direction is given under subsection (2) (b) fails to comply with the direction, he is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 100 penalty units.