Jagan urges world body to work for cost-effective transfer of water from one basin to another
The Hindu
CM Jagan Mohan Reddy urges ICID to find solution to transfer water from one basin to another in drought-prone areas, especially in AP. Union Jal Shakti Minister Shekawat highlights govt's commitment to water resource mgmt. 1,300 experts from 40 countries present at 25th ICID Congress to discuss challenges of water mgmt.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has urged the International Commission on Irrigation (ICID) to work on a solution to transfer water from one basin to another in drought-prone conditioned basins, especially in Andhra Pradesh, even though it is a global issue.
Addressing the inaugural session of the 25th International Congress on Irrigation & Drainage, and ICID’s 74th International Executive Council meeting on the theme ‘Tackling Water Scarcity in Agriculture’ here on Thursday, November 2, Mr. Reddy said the solution should be economically viable, socially acceptable, technically feasible and environmentally friendly.
Andhra Pradesh is one of the States which is dependent on rain-fed irrigation system and faces a problem in water supply to agricultural crops during lean monsoons, he said. He also highlighted the key interventions being undertaken in the field of water resources in the State.
The event was organised by ICID and the Indian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (INCID), while the Water Resources wing of the Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Department hosted the programme.
Delivering the N.D. Gulhati Memorial Lecture on ‘Ensuring Water and Food Security through Climate Resilient Infrastructure’, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat said that the Union government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making every effort to effectively solve the water problems in various States, and interlinking of rivers is one of the initiatives.
He flagged various issues, challenges, way forward and the government’s commitment to water resource management. He also emphasised on crucial role of international collaboration for redressal of the inextricable linkage of climate change and food security.
Earlier, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Mr. Shekawat and others on the dais performed ‘Jal Bharo’ by mixing the water collected from different rivers in one pot.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.