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Water Waters: SEVEN STATES DEADLOCKED, By Insaf, 24 Sept, 2016 Print E-mail

 

 

Round The States

New Delhi, 24 September 2016

Water Waters

SEVEN STATES DEADLOCKED

By Insaf

 

Rivers across India are on fire. Karnataka is just one State which is on the boil albeit with self immolations, strikes and violence following the Supreme Court’s order to release 15000 cusecs of Cauvery waters to neighbouring Tamil Nadu. Pertinently, seven others States too are in the throes of fighting over H2O.  Odisha is protesting against Chhattisgarh’s project on the Mahanadi forcing Union Water Minister Uma Bharti to intervene and broker peace, Punjab has refused to provide Sutlej waters to Haryana, Supreme Court order notwithstanding. This has resulted in a tu-tu-mein-mein between Chief Minister Badal and his counterpart Khattar. Telangana wants the Central Water Tribunal to revise the Krishna waters allocation to Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Even as Jayalalithaa’s Tamil Nadu demands more water from Karnataka it is resisting Kerala’s move to build a dam across the Siruvani River to quench Coimbatore’s drinking water problem. Both Odisha and Chhattisgarh are in a deadlock with Andhra Pradesh over the construction of a dam on the Godavari River. They claim that over 10,000 villages in both States would be submerged due to the project. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah has refused release of further water to Tamil Nadu by stating the State is heading for drought and has called an Assembly session to decide on the matter. The outcome is a no-brainer: The MLAs’ will resolve not to release further water to its neighbour. All eyes are affixed on how the Supreme Court handles this vexatious issue.

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Silent Marathas Rattle Government

From caste quotas to cries for reverse discrimination is the new battle ground in the reservation war. On the heels of the upwardly mobile Patel’s demanding reservation in Gujarat it is now the turn of the Maratha’s wanting a share of the quota pie in Maharashtra. Over the last 40 days the community has been taking out Muk Morchas or silent rallies to get themselves heard by the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena Government. The Marathas anger stems from two reasons. One, thanks to the Scheduled Castes/Schedules Tribes Atrocities Prevention Act, these communities are not only eroding their political clout but also hurting their job prospects. With both the Congress and NCP goading the Marathas, a rattled Chief Minister Fadnavis has committed to providing reservation to the community in education and Government jobs. Further, to prove his bonafidies and appease the Marathas, the Chief Minister has appointed a Shivaji descendant and Rajya Sabha MP as the State’s tourism ambassador. However, things have come to such a pass that the political Establishments is clueless about which way the Marathas anger will blow. Either which way the community’s silent rallies has sent a loud message to our politicians.

 

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Karnataka the appointment of a Chief Secretary has become a bone of contention between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress’ First Family Gandhis’. All over whether a Backward or a Dalit should be the top bureaucrat of the State. While Party Vice President Rahul hoots for a Dalit, the Chief Minister bats for an ‘upright’ OBC to head the bureaucracy as this would send out the “right” signals. Moreover, Siddaramaiah has made plain that as both the Bengaluru Police Commissioner and the State’s Police head are  Dalits,  a third appointee from the same community would sent a  wrong indication and set an erroneous precedent. Besides the Dalit nominee who is backed by seasoned Congress leaders at the Centre and State, is reportedly involved in various land scams and is close to senior BJP leaders. Happily, both sides have settled for a truce with the Chief Minister’s OBC candidate being anointed Chief Secretary followed by the Gandhi favourite subsequently. Killing two birds with one stone!

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Six States = 21 Lakh Cases

India’s abysmal track record on judicial backlogs of 23 lakh cases is no secret. Shockingly, of these 90 per cent are pending for over 10 years in six States with Ulta-Pulta Pradesh topping the charts with 30 per cent. It is followed by Modi’s Gujarat with 22 per cent, amchi Maharashtra 11 per cent, Bihar 10 per cent and both Odisha and West Bengal tied at 8 per cent. More scandalous 40 lakh cases are pending for the last five to ten years. Add to this many cases are unresolved for decades in subordinate courts underscoring the slow moving justice delivery system. To make amends, Gujarat picked up the judicial gauntlet and disposed 9000 cases last month while UP settled 6500. Appallingly, out of a sanctioned 20,502 judges for subordinate courts, 4,432 judicial posts remain vacant as of December last. Undeniably, our learned Your Lordships fail to realize that justice delayed is justice denied. .

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Delhi Now A Stalkers Paradise

Union Capital New Delhi has again suffered a severe loss of face. This follows the horrific stabbing of a young 21-year old girl to death in a crowded market in broad day light. More distressing is that onlookers refused to heed her feeble cries of help, choosing to watch the macabre killing instead of nabbing the assailant and handing him over to the police. Till yesterday, Delhi was justifiably called India’s Rape Capital, however, today it has appended another grisly identify: A heartless and soulless city. Clearly it has learnt no lesson after the infamous Nirbhaya case of 2012.

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Jharkhand Spells Booze

Dry Bihar is Jharkhand’s gain with tipplers making a bee line for the State after its neighbour imposed prohibition. Interestingly, this had an intoxicating affect on Jharkhand’s hospitality industry which has grown over 20 per cent since liquor was banned in Bihar. The State has become an exhilarating favourite for marriage functions and private parties to the tinkling of glasses filled with booze. With drinks being known as a stimulating stress buster even Bihar’s ‘infamous’ dons are making a beeline to Jharkhand to indulge in their favorite som ras. This has resulted in cash tillers ringing high with the Government laughing all the way to the bank.  Not only Jharkhand but Odisha and West Bengal too are welcoming the over flow with the choicest of liquor mingled with a dash of tourism. Hic! ---INFA

 

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

 

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