‘Inter-State Water Disputes Act’ needs to be totally amended: Karnataka CM

PTI, Mar 5, 2022, 3:16 PM IST

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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.