The Minister may, upon a serious outbreak of disease affecting cattle as defined by section two of the Stock Diseases Act, by Statutory Notice or at the request of owners of land of an area affected by disease declare an area to be an area to which the provisions of this Act applies (“Declared Area”). The request of owners shall be made in the form of a petition to which objections may be raised by other owners in the same area. From and after the date upon which this Act comes into operation wi