BENGALURU: The National Convention on Mountains and Rivers urged the state governments and the central government to introduce a Bill to bring the National Mountain and River Protection Act to preserve, protect and provide sustainable management of mountains and river ecosystems of India.
The Convention proposes to organise a pan-Indian consultation for framing the legal framework to draft the National Mountain and River Protection Act, urging the governments to consider the legal framework that will be developed to present before the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies for adoption.
Retired Justice V Gopala Gowda, Bolishetty Satyanarayana, national coordinator of Jal Biradari, one of the delegates of the convention, and Rajendra Singh, known as Waterman of India, spoke about the importance of environment conservation, particularly the conservation of mountains and rivers, for future generations.
Gopala revealed the negative impacts of ignoring environmental issues, “If mountains are destroyed, then rivers will be affected, which can in turn affect irrigation. This will impact the rural and urban population equally,” he said. He further stated the importance of centre-state collaboration through the Concurrent List under Schedule 7 of the Constitution while implementing necessary laws to protect the environment.
Rajendra Singh stated that it is high time to discuss nature conservation. Though many Acts have passed in the last 77 years after Independence, they are not implemented properly. Parliament can pass an Act according to the framework of the constitution without “bureaucrats and technocrats using loopholes to do as they wish,” he further added.
Bolishetty Satyanarayana shared that “issues arising at mountains will eventually affect the forest, rivers and people.” He also emphasised having “wonderful laws” while there is no protection of the environment and to guide people to take protection of the environment seriously.