Maharashtra water bill a sell-out to private players, say activists

With even the legislative council passing the controversial water bill, which now gives priority to agriculture over industries, the last hurdle seems to have been cleared. However, many activists and experts have called it an anti-farmer sell-out to private players. 

“The government is taking up the functions of the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA), an independent body. We know how easily the ministers will be manipulated by the private sector,” said Sanjay Kolhe of the Kisan Ekta Manch, an outfit which burned deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s effigies in protest immediately after the bill was passed by the assembly. 

The legislative council on Wednesday passed the bill with an amendment that the state cabinet would now decide on use and distribution of water resources and send it back to the assembly. 
Announcing the new allocation of water resources, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said that it was important to change the set of priorities for use of water that had been laid down in 1960 and continued in the 2005 water policy. 

“The farmers here had actually pooled in money for a storage battery and were glued to the TV like a cricket match in the hope that good sense will Prevail; but we were disappointed at what this ‘pro-poor’ government has done,” Kolhe added. 

When an ordinance was promulgated to empower a GoM for the allocation of water meant for irrigation projects to consumer (drinking) and industrial use, social activist BT Deshmukh filed a PIL challenging the ordinance saying that since a water regulatory authority was in existence, the government could not empower ministers on water use.

Deshmukh alleges that the ordinance and the rush with which the bill was pushed through confirms that this was done to benefit a leading industrial house with water from the Upper Wardha irrigation project.

“Since the issue of water allocation vis-a-vis the powers of the government is pending before the high court, where was the need to hurry with the bill,” Deshmukh questioned.

(With inputs from Rajendra Aklekar)