River disputes need quick resolution: Suresh Reddy
Suresh Reddy said former chief minister and BRS president K Chandrashekar Rao has been calling to use every possible drop of water in our rivers
Hyderabad: The BRS has urged the Centre to step in to ensure faster resolution of interstate river disputes, and take a relook at the anti-defection laws and amend them as needed.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday on the motion of thanks to the President’s address to Parliament, BRS leader K.R. Suresh Reddy said defections continue to remain a troublesome issue in the country.
“This needs to be addressed, why should the courts be allowed to intervene in every issue related to defections? I urge that a committee be constituted to look into the evolution of defections and amend the law and make it watertight,” he said.
Suresh Reddy said former chief minister and BRS president K Chandrashekar Rao has been calling to use every possible drop of water in our rivers. The BRS MP pointed out that every year India receives 1.4 lakh tmc ft of water in rainfall but only 20,000 tmc ft of water is used, with around 50,000 tmc ft going waste into the seas.
India faces water wars between states and even between districts. Interstate river water disputes tribunals are taking 10 to 20 years to decide on issues. A fitting tribute to Dr B.R. Ambedkar, whose initiatives resulted in setting up of agencies such as the Central Water Commission, would be to resolve these disputes. The Centre should incentivise solutions by providing grants to states for irrigation projects, he said.
He said Telangana showed the way under the BRS government. It has the world's largest lift irrigation scheme in Kaleshwaram which transformed the state in six years and turned it from a drought-stricken state to the number one paddy growing state in the country.”
He also suggested that the President address the people of Manipur, and that such an address would be a catalyst for the northeast region. He called on the government to depute young IAS and IPS officers to the Maha Kumbh Mela for hands-on experience in understanding the people of the country, as these officials will be the ones who will handle the future of the country.
