PANJIM: Congress on Monday slammed Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar over his statement claiming that ‘there is nothing called nationalisation of rivers’ by pointing that the National Waterways Act 2016, itself states that the Central Government will take under its control the regulation and development of 111 rivers, including six from Goa, for the purpose of shipping and navigation.
Referring to the statement, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Shantaram Naik said, “If that is the case, why was a Central legislation passed and why the need felt to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding between the Central government, Inland Waterways Authority of India and Goa Government?”
Naik said that Section 3 of the National Waterways Act, 2016 says, “It is expedient in public interest that the Union should take under its control the regulation and development of the waterways specified in the schedule for the purposes of shipping and navigation to the extent provided in the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985.”
He said that if one reads the provisions of these two acts, the six rivers have become the property of the Union Government and that the State will not be able to undertake any activity in these waters or river banks without the Centre’s permission. Naik said that Section 14 of the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985 indicates as to what extent the Central government is going to exercise control over these rivers. “The two legislations clearly indicate that the six rivers have been nationalised,” Naik said.
