Summary Record of Proceedings of National Water Resources ...

States or centralization of water management through proposed national legal frame work. Hecalled for collective support of all States and Union Territories as the Indian economy wouldface daunting challenges in the water sector, both in terms of quantity as well as quality,emphasizing the need to take urgent and pragmatic decisions. The full text of his openingremarks is at Annex - III.Shri Tarun Gogoi, Chief Minister of Assam, commended Ministry of Water Resourcesfor attempting to review and develop the National Water Policy to address the challenges of theemerging imperatives before the nation to ensure sustainable development. He welcomed theproposal to set up the Brahmaputra River Valley Authority. He stated that while the Constitutionof India entrusted the use and management of water substantially to the States, it was importantto arrive at a common understanding on the principles governing water use through the NationalWater Resources Policy. He suggested that the use of river water should be based on conceptof territorial integrity, which reinforced the commonality of purpose. He, further, stated that thelower riparian States also had the right to natural flow of river and upper riparian could use it butmust allow the water to flow unchanged in quantity and quality. He emphasized that the floodmanagement issue, being of paramount importance for safety of life and property of the people,should be given mandatory consideration and weightage in all hydroelectric and other waterbased projects and schemes. He recommended that erosion should be considered as a nationaldisaster for assistance under national disaster relief fund. He urged that the draft policy shouldemphasize drainage management, extensive soil conservation, afforestation, watermanagement combined with regional flood warning systems and adoption of flood moderationmeasures along with well planned erosion management. The full text of his speech is at Annex– IV.Shri S. Prakash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab stated that water, being aState subject, should be left to the States to manage and any revision in National Water policyshould be based on the existing Constitutional provisions and well recognized/universallyaccepted principles. He suggested that distribution of water resources should be and must bebased on universally accepted Riparian Principles. He, further, stated that establishment ofwater tariff system, fixation of criteria for water charges, statutory empowerment of Water UsersAssociation, pricing of electricity, establishment of a Water Regulatory Authority were matterswhich should be left to the States. He opined that inter basin transfer of water based on equalityand social justice would be in conflict with exclusive rights of people living in basin areas. He2