Chennai: A special government resolution moved by Chief Minister K. Palaniswami after Question Hour in the state Assembly, received the full support of the DMK-led opposition, as the resolution highlighted possible problems that could crop up over the operation and maintenance of dams by Tamil Nadu located in other states.
“This House urges the Centre to keep in abeyance all efforts towards enacting the proposed Dam Safety Bill (2018) into a law till states are consulted and a consensus evolved," said the resolution passed unanimously.
Piloting the resolution through the House, the CM recalled his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 15, wherein he had urged the Centre to keep the bill in abeyance till a consensus was evolved among all states.
He also recalled the late Jayalalithaa’s opposition to the earlier draft bill of 2016 on this issue and said the latest bill could affect operation and maintenance of dams including the Mullaperiyar, Parambikulam, Thoonakkadavu and Peruvaripallam dams that are owned, operated and maintained by the Tamil Nadu government but are located in the neighbouring Kerala. She had rightly argued that the bill would encroach upon the powers of the state governments and the rights conferred on them.
CM Palaniswami added that the Government was also taking steps to increase the storage of the Mullaperiyar dam to the full level of 152 feet based on the recommendation of the Union Water Resources Ministry and the expert committee formed by the Supreme Court after taking up the dam strengthening works.
After Speaker P. Dhanapal said the resolution was “unanimously adopted,” DMK deputy leader Durai Murugan, who spoke in favour of the resolution, said the bill was “yet another proof that Centre is acting in an authoritarian manner,” and welcomed and supported the resolution on behalf of his party.
The allies of the party- Congress and IUML also voted voiced their support. The proposed Central Bill seeks to constitute a national committee on dam safety which shall evolve safety policies and recommend necessary regulations. It provides for the establishment of National Dam Safety Authority as a regulatory body which shall discharge functions to implement the policy, guidelines and standards for dam safety in the country.
In certain cases, such as dams of one state falling within the territory of another, the authority shall also perform the role of State Dam Safety Organisation, thereby eliminating potential causes for inter-state conflicts.
