Title: Discussion on the Motion for Consideration of the National Waterways Bill, 2015. HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Now, the Hon. Minister
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
an> title: Discussion on the motion for consideration of the National Waterways Bill, 2015. HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Now, the hon. Minister. THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS AND MINISTER OF SHIPPING (SHRI NITIN GADKARI): Sir, I beg to move: "That the Bill further to make provisions for existing national waterways and to provide for the declaration of certain inland waterways to be national waterways and also to provide for the regulation and development of the said waterways for the purpose of shipping and navigation and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, be taken into consideration." यह हमारे देश के िलए बहत महवपणू बात होगी िक वॉटरवज़े का हम लोग नेिवएशन के िलए उपयोग करग े तो देश के उोग, यवसाय, बरे ोज़गार, िफशरमनै और िकसान को बहत बड़ा फायदा होगा यह िबल मन े आपक अनुमित से प तुत िकया है म सभी सांसद से यह िनवदे न कं गा िक सभी लोग इसका समथन कर HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Motion moved: "That the Bill further to make provisions for existing national waterways and to provide for the declaration of certain inland waterways to be national waterways and also to provide for the regulation and development of the said waterways for the purpose of shipping and navigation and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, be taken into consideration." SHRIMATI R. VANAROJA (TIRUVANNAMALAI): Hon. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Vanakkam. I express my sincere thanks and gratitude to my beloved leader Hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Puratchi Thalaivi Amma for allowing me to speak on The National Waterways Bill, 2015. Hon. Chief Minister Puratchi Thalaivi Amma has suggested the Union Government time and again for the implementation of interlinking of peninsular rivers and the nationalization of rivers to implement many developmental waterways projects to facilitate trade and transport in the country. The National Waterways Bill, 2015, is to make provisions for existing national waterways and to provide for the declaration of certain inland waterways to be national waterways and also to provide for the regulation and development of the said waterways for the purposes of shipping and navigation. The inland water transport is fuel efficient, cost effective and environment friendly mode of transport, especially for bulk goods, hazardous goods and over dimensional cargos. It also reduces time, cost of transportation of goods and cargos, as well as congestion and accidents on highways. Yet, when compared to road and rail sectors, required investment has not been made by the Government so far on the preservation and development of inland waterways mode of transportation in the country. The inland waterways mode of transportation has immense potential for domestic cargo transportation as well as for cruise, tourism and passenger traffic. Its systematic development will open up progressive economic and transport opportunities in the country. It is heartening that the Central Government has evolved a policy for integrated development of inland waterways throughout the country and has accordingly identified 101 new inland waterways in addition to five existing national waterways to be declared as national waterways for the purposes of shipping and navigation by a standalone legislation in terms of Entry 24 of the Union List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution. This includes the National Waterways Nos. 19, 51, 66, 74, 78 and 93 connecting the various rivers within Tamil Nadu. The extent of development, the prioritization of inland waterways for development and related matters shall be finalized after carrying out necessary techno-economic feasibility studies through Inland Waterways Authority of India consequent upon enactment of the National Waterways Bill, 2015. Thereafter, these waterways will be developed by providing adequate infrastructure for safe, convenient and sustained shipping operations. The systematic development for navigation of these inland waterways shall open up the progressive economic and cost effective, fuel efficient and eco-friendly transport potential in the country. Diligent care and caution should be followed while implementing the projects after the enactment of the proposed legislation. This Bill should no way impinge on the rights of the State Governments for usage of water, ownership of appurtenant land, minerals, metal, sand, etc. It should help in development of transportation and tourism in States. The Hon. Chief Minister Puratchi Thalaivi Amma has been urging the Union Government to implement the inter-linking of Peninsular rivers Mahanadhi - Godavari - Krishna - Pennar - Palar - Cauvery and then on to Gundar as the diversion of waters of the west-flowing rivers of Pamba and Achankoil to Vaippar in Tamil Nadu under the Peninsular Rivers Development component. I thank the Government for having notified the special committee for Interlinking of Rivers, as requested by our Beloved Leader Puratchi Thalaivi Amma on 3.6.2014, the other genuine request that all inter-State rivers should be nationalized so that water resources of the country are optimally utilized must be looked into seriously and implemented in a time bound manner. The Hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Puratchi Thalaivi Amma had sought the assistance of the Union Government for implementation of the Athikadavu-Avinashi Flood Canal Scheme at an estimated cost of Rs.1862 crore. This may be sanctioned on a priority basis. Like-wise, the Pennaiyar (Sathanur Dam) - palar Link Scheme and Pennaiyar- Nedungal Anicut - Palar Link at an estimated cost of Rs. 500 crore may kindly be expedited. The Proposal to divert the flood waters of Cauvery to drought-prone areas by linking the Rivers Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar at a cost of Rs. 5166 crore which was kept pending and later returned by the previous Government may be approved expeditiously. The River Cauvery is the lifeline of Tamil Nadu. With the notification of the Final order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, the scheme for Modernization of the canal System in the Cauvery Basin at a cost of Rs.11,421 crore may be accorded approval. This request of our beloved leader Puratchi Thalaivi Amma on 3.6.2014 may be approved at the earliest. There was a plan to develop 37 km. of the National Waterway-four (NW-4) between Sholinganallur to Kalpakkam in South Buckingham Canal in Tamil Nadu during the previous UPA regime and an office of the Inland Waterways Authority of India at the campus of Indian Maritime University in Chennai. The main components of the project included dredging and excavation to develop navigational channel, construction of three terminals and navigational locks, replacement of one existing bridge at Kelambakkam and installation of navigational aids. This inland waterways project will ease out the transportation problems in Chennai suburbs to a great extent besides promoting tourist movement to important tourist spots between Mahabalipuram and Puducherry. The development of South Buckingham Canal can also improve the drainage system during flood season in Chennai city. The statement said the canal will be developed to make it suitable for safe navigation of cargo vessels up to 300 tonne capacity for transportation of general cargo like food grain, fertilizers, building materials, etc. The canal shall also be suitable for movement of the passenger and tourist vessels of higher capacity from Chennai to Mahabalipuram and in future up to Puducherry and vice-versa. The terminals at Shollinganallur, Mutukkad and Mahabalipuram have been planned for construction and will be operated with necessary facilities for cargo, passenger and tourist vessels. With the passing of the National Waterways Bill, the much awaited revival of the more than two-century old channel, falling under the Kakinada-Puducherry national waterway project funded by the Centre, should gain momentum. In the first phase, a 50-kilometre stretch from Muttukadu creek to Edaiyur creek near Kalpakkam, part of the South Buckingham Canal, would be dredged and cleaned, according to guidelines issued by the Inland Waterways Authority of India. The Buckingham Canal, opened in 1806 as the Cochrane canal, was more than 400 kilometres long. It was one of the longest canals in India at that time. It was a major channel for trade and industry between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The northern part of the Canal within Madras was built at the turn of the 19th century by Basil Cochrane. To promote inland water transport, the national waterway project envisages the linking of canals in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry, altogether 767 kilometres long. An office of the Inland Waterways Authority of India was created at the campus of Indian Maritime University in Chennai and the required infrastructure such as terminals and modification of existing bridges and culverts would be carried out by IWAI. The North Buckingham Canal, from Ennore creek to Arangam Village on the Andhra Pradesh border, a distance of 58 kilometres, will also be made navigable as also the South Buckingham Canal from Sholinganallur to Marakkanam, a distance of 105 kilometres. For loading and unloading of goods, terminals will be established at Pulicat lake, Basin Bridge, Palavakkam, Alamparai, Kazhanchi and Cuddalore. To maintain navigability, the river portions would be dredged and provided with suitable structures, while backwater portions would be dredged based on requirement. River mouths would be opened if necessary. The Buckingham Canal, opened in 1806, was once one of the longest canals in India. The Buckingham Canal was a major channel for trade and industry between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The waterway was said to be about 8 to 10 metres wide, offered a cheap mode of transport and hundreds of boats used ply on the stretch between Mamallapuram and Mylapore at the beginning of the 20th century. I urge upon the Government to support the implementation of the interlinking of peninsular rivers and interlinking of all the rivers within the State as requested by our hon.