Supreme Counrt of India has issued verdict in favor of Inter-Linking of Rivers. Heading the Judgement Panel, Chief Justice S H Kapadia said that the project is in the favor of the nation but it has been delayed for more than 10 years, thus it should be implemented at earliest.
This would be of great importance to Bihar as most of the flooding rivers lie in Bihar and transferring excess water would definitely help in curbing the menace of flood.
The bench, also comprising justices Swatanter Kumar and A K Patnaik, appointed a high-powered committee comprising of representatives of various government departments, ministries, experts and social activists to chart out and execute the project.
The committee will be comprising of Union Minister of Water Resources, its secretary, Secretary of Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and four expert members appointed by Water Resources Ministry, Finance Ministry, Planning Commission and MoEF.
This was the dream project of erstwhile PM Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had formed a task force to get the project going against the backdrop of the acute drought that year.
Representatives from state governments, two social activists and senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, who has been assisting the court in the case, will also be members of the committee.
“We direct the Union of India to forthwith constitute a committee for interlinking of rivers,” the bench said, adding “we direct the committee to implement the project”.
“The committee shall plan for implementation of the project,” the bench said, adding the delay has already resulted in an increase in the cost of the project.