Ministry of Jal Shakti notification ‘illegal,’ says RPP

August 21, 2022 51 Views No Comment

Dimapur, August 21 (MExN): The Rising People’s Party on Saturday stated that the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti’s (Water) notification warning ground water users (GWUs) to register and take permission from the Central Ground Water Authority on or before September 30 was illegal.

“This notification is alarming and unprecedented. If this order is implemented every tubewell, borewell, traditional wells, will have to be registered with this central body, and permission sought for every extraction in the future,” it said in a press release.

Stating that Nagaland is still unable to extract oil and minerals despite the right guaranteed under Article 371 A, the RPP viewed that the notification “has made an absolutely mockery of our rights over ‘Land and its resources’ and this cannot go unchallenged.”

While regulation of some sort is required, there is no doubt that it should be under the purview of the state government, and therefore, the Rising People’s Party opposes this illegal notification tooth and nail, the release stated.

It further cautioned the general public from submitting to the central directive “because there’s the larger issue of constitutional rights involved as guaranteed under Article 371A.”

Meanwhile, the RPP said that the NDPP –BJP team “should write immediately to the Ministry of Jal Shakti and tell it in no uncertain terms that this notification is illegal and cannot be implemented.”

The NDPP-BJP team should resolutely convey to the BJP government in the Centre that even laws passed by the Parliament of India shall not apply to the state of Nagaland unless the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland so decides, and therefore a mere notification of a Ministry is considered null and void, the RPP contended.

“The Naga people are watching as to whether the NDPP-BJP team will have the same zest to go to Delhi on an issue which does not have monetary benefit for both the parties,” it added.

Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/ministry-of-jal-shakti-notification-illegal-says-rpp