Former Planning Commission member, Y.K.Alagh has been appointed by the Central Government to head the panel for drafting the  National Water Framework Act that will enable the centre to legislate on matters relating to    major concerns like equity, climate change, groundwater rights and international aspects of water resource utilization. Hitherto water has been solely a state subject   and several disputes about river water sharing between the states are being adjudicated by tribunals set up for the purpose. This overarching    legislation    will    help in making groundwater a public property , rationalize Inter‐State Water Disputes    and the River Board Acts. The rationale for the proposed national water law was spelt out in a concept paper submitted to the Planning Commission earlier by the former Water Resources Secretary Ramaswamy  R. Iyer.

MSR/2 August 2012

Source : The Hindu, Thursday, August2,2012,p.12(Bangalore edition)