From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Feb 27: The Siddaramaiah ministry is planning to bring a legislation to implement the river policy for the revival of all rivers in the wake of dwindling underground water table across the State.
Karnataka’s Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said several rivers have disappeared due to encroachment in the recent years due to cultivation and construction.
Talking to reporters in Bengaluru on Friday, the minister said the course of several rivers had changed due to unchecked sand extraction.
“The need of the hour is to rejuvenate all such rivers and protect the river courses by removing encroachment without any mercy,’’ he said.
In fact, the River Board Act had been in force before re-organisation of states but many states did not show interest to implement it.
He said states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi have passed legislation to implement the river policy to protect them.
Copies of the legislation were distributed to officials of Law, Water Resources and Revenue to prepare a bill to be tabled in the coming session of the State Legislature.
A strong legislation on implementation of river policy will act as a tool for the removal of encroachment of rivers and checking sand extraction.
Several tanks built by Department of Minor Irrigation were unable to impound water due to accumulation of silt.
This had resulted in non-utilisation of water allotted to Karnataka by tribunals. All the existing encroachments near the rivers will be removed.
Protection of rivers was the only option to recharge the underground water table, the minister said.
Although the Arkavathy river originates from the Nandi Hills, its course had been encroached. While the same river flows up to the neighbouring Tamil Nadu without any obstruction, but it the same water was not flowing in Karnataka, he explained.
Similar was in the case of Kumudvathi river. Stringent punishment would be prescribed in the proposed legislation to those who encroach upon river banks and flowing areas.
“There were four to five rivers flowing in Tumakuru district but all of them have vanished now. Even the course of rivers have changed due to man-made activities,’’ he said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is likely to make an announcement regarding the proposed legislation in his budget speech on March 13, Jayachandra indicated.