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| Govt to bring Water Resource Bill in next assembly session | | Water Authority also on the anvil | |
ARTEEV SHARMA
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, June 27: In what can bring some succor to the areas reeling under acute water scarcity, the State Government has decided to bring a new legislation in next assembly session which is aimed to address this problem in cities and towns.
The piece of legislation has become imperative in the backdrop of the fact that many areas of the state observed continuous and long dry spell in recent past which only augmented the water scarcity.
Sources said that the coalition government has formulated J&K Water Resource Bill which is likely to be brought in next legislature session. Besides, the existing water policy is being updated, sources confirmed.
"The drafting of the Act has been completed and it has been sent to Law Department for vetting. Under the Act, a water authority would be set up that would fix the water tariff, besides ensuring judicious and optimum utilization of surface and ground water resources," maintained sources. Nearly 20 lakh water meters across the State would be installed to check water theft and wastage. "About 10 lakh meters each would be installed in Kashmir as well as in Jammu province costing Rs 600 each," said sources.
"It has been proposed to procure new equipment to explore ground water resources in comprehensive manner," said sources.
"There was a dire need to frame a comprehensive water policy for rural areas as the government had not been charging anything from consumers in rural belts in lieu of water supply. The towns were not covered under the existing water policy," said sources.
Confirming this to the Early Times, Taj-Mohi-ud-Din, Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control said, "We have completed the drafting of J&K Water Resource Act and it would be brought in next legislature session so that it could be given practical shape."
"There would be a Water Resource Authority which will fix water tariff to be charged from the consumers," he maintained and added, "The Water Resource Act has been sent to Law Department for vetting. We are hopeful that the Act would get approval from Cabinet and be brought in next legislature session."
"The Urban Development Ministry would install water meters in urban areas as the Act would provide special powers to field staff to take action against offenders engaged in water theft," he said.
"We have been supplying water on highly subsidised rates so far. Once this act come into force, the consumers will have to pay more for water consumption. There would be no hike in water tariff up to 40 litres per capita per day but tariff would get multiplied several times if the water consumption goes above 40 per litres per capita," he maintained.
He further said, "Earlier, there was no water policy and we had been providing water under rural water supply scheme free cost. The Act would not only help in keeping a check on water theft in cities and towns but also be a beneficial tool in regulating water supply in rural areas."
The Minister also informed that there would be provision of heavy penalty on offenders or those engaged in water theft.
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