The Union government has, as of now, no intention to transfer the subject of ‘water' from the State List of the Constitution to the Concurrent List, Vincent H. Pala, Union Minister of State for Water Resources, said on Tuesday.
Mr. Pala, who earlier declared open the two-day Tamil Nadu Water Summit 2010 organised here by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), was responding to a question by The Hindu on the demand in certain quarters for the transfer of the subject.
“If all States want the transfer, we will look into it,” the Union Minister said, adding that Parliament had to enact an amendment to the Constitution.
Asked about reports that the Central scheme of constructing artificial recharge structures through dugwells had been suspended, Mr. Pala, a first-time Member of Parliament from Shillong of Meghalaya, denied it. The scheme was being implemented in seven States.
He added that the Centre had identified over-exploited blocks in the State and around 140 blocks out of 385 blocks were under the category of “over-exploited blocks.” The Union government had given funds to the tune of Rs. 200 crore for the recharge of groundwater table in the State.
To another question whether the Central government had released funds to the State under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) for the project of linking of intra-State rivers, the Union Minister replied that if the project conformed to the guidelines of the Programme, the Union government was prompt in sanctioning funds.
Referring to the prevalence of over-exploited blocks in the State, Mr. Pala, in his inaugural address, described it as a “matter of concern.” He expressed the hope that several steps initiated in the State for the recharge of groundwater would result in the improvement of the situation.
He pointed out that of about 900 km of coastline in the State, 640 km was vulnerable to erosion. Only around 40 km of the coastline had been provided with protection.
The Union Minister released a water directory and a voluntary aqua code, aimed at reduction of water consumption by industry.
S. Raghupathy, Senior Director and Head, CII Godrej GBC (Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre), said the CII would launch a national water campaign on water conservation. He explained the scope of business opportunities in water savings and conservation.
N.K. Ranganath, Event Chairman of the Water Summit 2010, and Nandini Rangaswamy, Chairperson of the CII Tamil Nadu, said that the demand for water had been rising sharply in the context of rapid industrialisation in the State.
