NGO to hold consultation on draft Assam water policy

Guwahati, Sep 8 (UNI) Jal Biradari, an NGO, would organise four consultations across Assam to take people's views on the draft of state water policy, prepared by the state government.

Stating this to newspersons here today, secretary of North-East chapter of Jal Biradari Amrit Goldsmith said ''While state water policy is a welcome step for harnessing and utilising the vast water resources of Assam, opinions of the people of the state must be widely taken and proper rehabilitation and resettlement clauses should be included for the policy to benefit a greater section.'' The consultations would be held at Jorhat, Silchar, Bongaigaon and Guwahati in such a schedule that suggestions from the first three places would be available for Guwahati consultation of September 29, he added.

Apprising that the government had given the organisation only one and half months time for conducting the consultations, Mr Goldsmith said, ''The time frame is too short to take the opinions of the diverse section of people in the state.'' '' We have translated the draft policy in Assamese and Bengali and circulated it. But, the time is too short to reach out to all,'' he said adding that the NGO's appeal for more time was not entertained by the government due to its own deadline.

He also emphasised on the need of proper guidelines to rehabilitate and resettle the people to be affected by the proposals of the water policy.

Important proposals in the draft policy include interlinking of rivers, construction of mega dams and foreign investment for water resource management and utilisation.

Chairperson of the NE chapter of Jal Biradari Natwar Thakkar underscored the importance of ensuring that the tribal communities, who had developed their lives along the rivers over centuries, should not be displaced or distracted due to the implementation of the water policy.

He stressed on the need to consider and promote of the indigenous water harvesting techniques developed by the local communities over the years.

The community had a definite role and that part should not be undermined while framing the policy as it would directly affect the lives of the people, Mr Thakkar added.

He also reacted negatively to the concept of mega dams in North East due to the topography and geological factors.

Mr Thakkar also cautioned against unmonitored foreign investment as it might lead to 'commercialisation' and 'monopoly' over water.

The Jal Biradari-Water Fellowship is a national level NGO, which deals with all aspects of water resources in the country. The NE chapter was formed in March.

UNI