138.(1) Where it appears to a Board that any block of building in the cantonment is in an unhealthy condition by reason of the manner in which the buildings are crowed together, or of the narrowness or closeness of the street, or of the want of proper drainage or ventilation, or the impracticability of cleansing the buildings or other similar cause, it may cause the block to be inspected by a committee consisting of- (a) the Health Officer, (b) the Civil Surgeon of the district, or, if his services are not available, some other medical officer in the service of the ²[Republic], (c) the Executive Engineer or a person deputed by the Executive Engineer in this behalf, and ³[* * *] (2) The committee shall make a report in writing to the Board regarding the sanitary condition of the block, and if it considers that the condition thereof is likely to cause risk of disease to the inhabitants of the building or of the neighbourhood or otherwise to endanger the public health, it shall clearly indicate on a plan verified by the Executive Engineer or the person deputed by him to serve on the committee, the buildings which should in its opinion wholly or in part be removed in order to abate the unhealthy condition of the block. (3) If, upon receipt of such report, the Board is of opinion that all or any buildings indicated should be removed, it may, by notice in writing, require the owners thereof to remove them: Provided that the Board shall make compensation to the owners for any buildings so removed which may have been erected under proper authority: Provided, further, that the Board may, if it considers it equitable in the circumstances so to do, pay to the owners such sum as it thinks fit as compensation for any buildings so removed which have not been erected under proper authority. (4) For the purposes of this section "buildings" includes enclosure walls and fences appertaining to buildings.