TN Assembly unanimously passes resolution to oppose Dam Safety Bill, 2018

TN CM Edappadi Palaniswami had written to the PM on June 15 saying that the bill was against the state’s interests.
TN Assembly unanimously passes resolution to oppose Dam Safety Bill, 2018
TN Assembly unanimously passes resolution to oppose Dam Safety Bill, 2018
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The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution to oppose the Dam Safety Bill, 2018 proposed by the Central government.

The resolution mentions that all the states must be consulted and a consensus must be reached on the contents of the bill before it is passed in the Parliament.

The resolution, introduced in the Assembly by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, was passed unanimously.

The resolution mentions that since the bill has clauses that affect Tamil Nadu’s rights on its dams and could cause issues in the operation and maintenance of the dams owned by TN but built in other states, the Central government must act to resolve the issues before it passes the bill.

On June 15, the CM had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to keep the bill in abeyance till a consensus was reached between the states on the issues affecting them.

The CM had said that J Jayalalithaa, the former Chief Minister of TN, had conveyed the state’s objections to certain clauses in the draft of the Dam Safety Bill. He also said that the Centre had not revised the draft since 2016 and hence it was understood that the bill had been passed in its original form by the Union Cabinet on June 13.

The letter had also stated that the bill would have major consequences on the dams operated and maintained by the state government, especially those owned by the state and located in neighbouring states.

Reports say that the bill provides for the formation of a National Dam Safety Authority which would be a regulatory body to implement the policy and guidelines specified in the bill. The bill also says that in cases where the dam is owned by one state and is located in another state, the authority will also adopt the role of a State Dam Safety Organisation that eliminates any potential causes for conflicts between states.

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