Summary Record of Proceedings of National Water Resources ...
Summary Record of Proceedings of National Water Resources ...
Summary Record of Proceedings of National Water Resources ...
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Full Text <strong>of</strong> Speech <strong>of</strong> Shri Jagadish Shettar, Chief Minister <strong>of</strong> KarnatakaAnnex IXMy dear Respected Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Manmohan Singh ji, Shri HarishRawat ji, Union Minister for <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Resources</strong>, Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia ji, DeputyChairman, Planning Commission and all the Chief Ministers <strong>of</strong> the States, Shri DhruvVijay Singh, Secretary, Ministry <strong>of</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Resources</strong>.2) At the outset let me acknowledge and congratulate the Hon’ble Prime MinisterShri Manmohan Singh ji and the Union Minister for <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Resources</strong> for bringing out theDraft <strong>National</strong> <strong>Water</strong> Policy 2012. I have great pleasure to present in front <strong>of</strong> thisaugust gathering the views <strong>of</strong> Karnataka on the draft <strong>National</strong> <strong>Water</strong> Policy 2012 andthe related vision and programs undertaken by Government <strong>of</strong> Karnataka. I heartilycongratulate Government <strong>of</strong> India for bringing out the draft <strong>National</strong> <strong>Water</strong> Policy 2012which is more holistic and addresses various complexes, multi-dimensional facets <strong>of</strong> thewater resources in the country.3) It is high time that a well thought over <strong>National</strong> <strong>Water</strong> Policy is evolved which canenable us to handle the water not only today but also to enable the future generations tolead a secure, safe and comfortable life for which water is the fundamental and basicneed <strong>of</strong> the humanity. It is always very important that a critical analysis <strong>of</strong> the presentsituation is highly essential as that would be the base on which the <strong>National</strong> policy needto be based on. Rightly the draft <strong>National</strong> Policy has attempted a general introductionassessing the situation in a highly simplistic way by taking into cognizance the generaland well known statements like growing population, water being a scarce resource,uneven distribution, lack <strong>of</strong> public consciousness, deepening water conflicts and climatechange suggesting a unified perspective on the water resources management.4) While I agree that the public policy on water needs to be based on certain basicprinciples, the principles that are envisaged are too broad and they do not specificallyenable each one <strong>of</strong> us to address the water issues with a long term vision. The biggestchallenge for the state <strong>of</strong> Karnataka and many other states is to utilize its share <strong>of</strong> waterand complete all the on-going projects at the earliest possible as each year <strong>of</strong> delay incompleting the project results in huge escalation <strong>of</strong> the costs.5) <strong>Water</strong> Framework Law(i) While we agree to evolve a broad over-arching national legal frame work asenvisaged in the Constitution <strong>of</strong> India, we need to realize that the water is a Statesubject. While framing any <strong>National</strong> Legal Frame Work, care should be taken not toinfringe on any <strong>of</strong> the state's right to manage water resources for its own use for twobasic reasons:<strong>Water</strong> problems are always local in nature and therefore, they need local solutions.<strong>Water</strong> related issues are always dynamic in nature.42
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