‘River Basin Bill will restrict states’ role’, says BJD member Debi Prasad Mishra
BHUBANESWAR: Former minister and BJD member Debi Prasad Mishra on Wednesday expressed concern over the River Basin Management Bill-2018 proposed by the Centre by stating that this will usurp the role of the states.
Raising the issue during zero hour in the Assembly, Mishra said role of the states in management of the river basins have been made negligible in the Bill and the structure of the legislation indirectly favours the Centre.
Referring to the Mahanadi river water dispute which is continuing for so many years, the former minister said the proposed Bill by the Centre has made a provision of one year for inter-state conflict resolution.
If there is no resolution of conflict between two states in one year and settlement of dispute takes another year under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act-1956, the entire process will be delayed, he said.
Mishra alleged that the Bill does not have any proper provision for protection and preservation of eco-systems and Bio-Diversity Hot Spots of river basins.
He demanded that the opinion of the specialists should be taken by the State Government to protect the interest of Odisha.
The Bill is now going to be discussed in Lok Sabha after approval from the Standing Committee.
Two other bills, National Water Framework Bill-2016 and National Ground Water Bill are also pending in the Lok Sabha.
Assembly Speaker SN Patro directed the Minister of State for Water Resources Raghunandan Das to make a statement in the House in this regard.