'Inter-State Water Disputes Act' needs to be totally amended: Karnataka CM Bommai
Bengaluru(PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said the 'Inter-State Water Disputes Act' needs to be totally amended, as it creates more disputes than resolving them.
He was addressing the southern states' conclave on the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' and 'Swachh Bharat Mission' (Rural) Projects here.
"Our Inter-State Water Disputes Act needs to be totally amended. The name itself says interstate water disputes act. It creates more disputes than solving disputes. We need correction in our law so that more water is available for different sections of people, instead of narrow political considerations," Bommai said.
He claimed that river basin management is the only answer for that. Stressing on the need for high quality efficiency in irrigation, the CM said there is misutilisation of a lot of water in irrigation.
He said, "our canal carrying capacity at the national level is not more than 45 per cent , so there is a gap of almost 55 per cent in our canal carrying capacity. Once we improve all these things a lot of water will be available."
Also noting that we are facing environmental challenges, he said the perennial rivers are turning into seasonal rivers, and rivers are drying up even before reaching the sea.
Assuring relentless efforts for time bound implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission projects in Karnataka, Bommai said, of the 97.91 lakh rural households, tapped water has to be provided for 25 lakh households in the initial phase, while the achievement has been about 18 lakh, and the target of 25 lakh would be met within the next few months.
".... more funds have been provided in the budget for implementing the project. I am personally overseeing the project to see to it that it will be completed in time," he said, adding that next year's target will 100 percent be met on time.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
