LOK SABHA ___ SYNOPSIS OF DEBATES (Proceedings other than Questions & Answers) ______ Tuesday, March 14, 2017/ Phalguna 23, 1938 (Saka) ______ STATEMENT BY MINISTER Re: Recent Attack on Security Forces at Sukma, Chhattisgarh on 11March, 2017. THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI RAJNATH SINGH): On 11 March 2017 two companies of CRPF at Bheji in Sukma District of Chhattisgarh were providing security cover for road construction on Bheji-Gorkha- Injiram. Around 0853 hrs. when this party reached a forested area close to Bankupara village, armed Left Wing Extremists ambushed them with heavy firing and simultaneous use of IED blasts. In this incident, unfortunately 12 personnel were martyred and 02 were seriously injured. The condition of injured personnel is stable and they are out of danger. 13 weapons and 02 wireless sets were taken away by the Left Wing Extremists. Names of the martyred and injured are as follows: Names of the Martyrs 1. Insp Jagjeet Singh 2. ASI Hira Vallabh Bhatt 3. ASI Narender Singh 4. CT Suresh Kumar 5. CT Mangesh Bal Pandey 6. CT Rampal Singh Yadav 7. CT Gorakhnath 8. CT Nand Kumar Athram 9. CT Satish Chand Verma 10. CT K. Shankar 11. HC P.R. Mendhe 12. HC Jagdish Prasad Vishnoi Names of the injured 1. CT Jaydev Pramanik 2. CT Mohd. Saleem Sagal I express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the personnel who have lost their lives and I would like to say firmly that the entire nation is with them in their hour of grief. The nation will always remember their sacrifices. The injured personnel will be provided with the best possible treatment available. On behalf of the entire house, I pray for their health and wellbeing. The unprecedented success of the Security Forces of last has led to evident uneasiness among the Left Wing Extremist Groups. The forces have achieved tremendous success during 2016 in all LWE affected states and particularly in Chhattisgarh where 135 LWE cadres were eliminated, 779 arrested and 1198 surrendered. The number of violent incidents in Chhattisgarh also dropped by 15% from 466 in 2015 to 395 in 2016. Improved efficacy of the Security Forces is evident from the various indicators. The number of Left Wing Extremists killed increased by 150% (89 in 2015 to 222 in 2016) in 2016. Surrenders and arrests registered a combined increase of 47% over 2015 (2238 to 3282). Only 03 weapons were lost by the SFs in 2016 as against 15 in 2015. 67% of Encounters/Exchange of fire resulted in neutralization of LWE cadres as against only 36% in 2015. Sustained operations by the security forces ensured that South Bastar districts, considered to be the nucleus of LWE strength witnessed a considerable fall in violence in 2016 (252 incidents as against 326 in 2015). The Left Wing Extremists have suffered unprecedented losses in 2016. They have admitted so, openly in their documents and statements. They will continue to attempt such incidents to restore the flagging morale of their cadres. I believe that our brave soldiers and officers will continue to respond with a firm resolve and contribute whole heartedly towards elimination of Left Wing Extremism. However, there is a need for introspection on this incident. I have directed the DG, CRPF to conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident so that the lapses that led to the incident can be identified which will reduce the possibility of repetition of such incidents in the future. I visited Chhattisgarh to pay my homage to the martyrs and met the two injured personnel on the day of the incident itself. Arrangements were made to ensure that mortal remains reach their respective families. Loss of life can in no way be compensated by money, however, the next of kin of the martyred CRPF personnel will be provided Rs. 35 lacs as ex-gratia from the Central Government, Rs. 20 lacs from the Risk Fund of CRPF and Rs. 01 lac from the CRPF Welfare Fund. They will also get Rs.25 lacs as insurance benefits and Rs. 03 lacs as ex- gratia from the Chhattisgarh Government. The next of kin will also be provided full salary till the age of superannuation of the personnel martyred under the Liberalized Pensionary Award (LPA). I assured the house that the Government is committed to providing all support to the CAPF in order to prepare them for their tasks. In the same way the Government is also committed to supporting the States for training, capacity building, provision of CAPF battalions as required and intelligence sharing. I would like to assure the nation through this House that we will not let Left Wing Extremists succeed in misleading the people and depriving parts of the country from the benefits of development. I once against pay my homage to the martyred personnel and express heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I assure the house that their sacrifices will not go in vain. INTER-STATE RIVER WATER DISPUTES (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2017 THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION (SUSHRI UMA BHARTI) moved that leave be granted to introduce a Bill further to amend the Inter-State River Water Dispute Act, 1956. SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB opposing the motion for introduction of the Bill, said: I am objecting to the introduction of Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2017. The Constitution allows the Union Government to introduce certain Bills relating to the State subjects on three provisions i.e. Article 249, Article 252 (1) and Article 262. But there are also some restrictions in this regard. Proviso of the Article 262 states that notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, Parliament may by law provide that neither the Supreme Court nor any other court shall exercise jurisdiction in respect of any such dispute or complaint as is referred to in clause (1). Actually, this Section is a denial. The Bill categorically says that subsume all tribunals into one permanent tribunal. It has also been said that a committee will be formed which will give its report to tribunal within three years. But, the time within which the tribunal will give a report is not specified. Do this Parliament and the Government have the power, through this Constitution to have a law in this manner? I am not going into the merit of the Bill. I am only saying that this is very wrongly drafted Bill. Under sub-section 2 of article 262, the Supreme Court is debarred to intervene. But in last November or December, 2016, the Supreme Court had mentioned that anyone can come to the Supreme Court if they have some complaints. Now all these issues are not being addressed in this Bill. Lastly, I would also like to know whether the Union Government has consulted respective State Governments before preparing this Bill and whether they agreed. Another basic problem which I confront is that it was in 2002 that it was incorporated in the Act that the decision of the tribunal shall have the same force as an order or decree of the Supreme Court. But the amendment says that the decision of the Bench of the Tribunal shall be final and binding on the parties of the dispute and shall have the same force as an order or decree of the Supreme Court. This is just repetition of what is there in the Act. This is a very badly drafted Bill. My only request to the Government is to reconsider introduction of this Bill. SUSHRI UMA BHARTI: The Union Government is exercising the power given to it under Article 262 of the Constitution. Now, the salient feature of the proposed system is that there will be a permanent tribunal instead of different tribunals comprising a Chairman, Deputy Chairman and maximum six Members. Their maximum age limit will be 70 years. A committee would be constituted before referring any water dispute to the tribunal and the tribunal will dispose such disputes within a maximum time span of four to five years. The Bill was introduced. SUBMISSION BY MEMBER Re: Need to conduct CBI probe into the death of former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. THE MINISTER OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS AND MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI ANANTHKUMAR) responding to the issue raised by an hon. Member, said: The very serious issue raised by the hon. Member from AIADMK about the sad sudden demise of our great leader of Tamil Nadu, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalitha Amma, is a matter of great concern to this House and to the entire country. There is a feeling that the death has happened in mysterious circumstances. The state of Tamil Nadu has already ordered an investigation into the matter. The report of the investigation ordered by the State Government has to come before the Centre takes any further action. *MATTERS UNDER RULE 377 (i) SHRI RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY laid a statement regarding need to enhance the salary and improve service conditions of para-teachers in the country. (ii) SHRI SUBHASH CHANDRA BAHERIA laid a statement regarding need to promote sale and use of indigenous consumer products in the country. (iii) KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL laid a statement regarding need to develop Charkhari fort in Hamirpur parliamentary constituency, Uttar Pradesh as a tourist place. (iv) SHRI KANWAR SINGH TANWAR laid a statement regarding need to establish a girls' school and degree college in Amroha parliamentary constituency, Uttar Pradesh. (v) SHRI KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL laid a statement regarding need to run a local train between Mumbai and Bhiwandi in Maharashtra. (vi) SHRI SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNAPURIA laid a statement regarding need to provide stoppage of Gandhidham-Garba Express (Train No.