Water Authority Act to be amended: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 5 (UNI) Kerala Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran today said the Government would amend the existing Water Authority Act to check illegal tapping of water.

Inaugurating the Water Cess Adalat here, he said as there was no effective provision in the existing Act to check and punish the illegal water tapping in flats and hotels, the Act would be amended for stringent punishment and would be included in it.

Mr Premachandran said the water crises in the state could be overcome only through protecting the water resources, ground water and rain water harvesting.

Even though the state required Rs 1,800 crore for completing the projects under the Water Authority, only Rs 71 crore was alloted in the plan fund, he pointed out.

Stringent measures would be taken to realise the dues to the water authority from local bodies and individuals, he added.

In the coming days such adalats would be extended to all parts of the state, he added.

UNI