Nagaland based political party, the Rising People's Party (RPP) on Friday expressed alarm over the Jal Shakti Ministry's notification warning all ground water users (GWUs) to take permission from the Central Ground Water Authority on or before September 30, 2022 or else action will be taken.
"This notification is alarming and unprecedented. If this order is implemented, every tubewell, borewell or traditional well will have to be registered with this central body, and permission sought for every extraction in the future," the RPP said in a statement.
According to the RPP, the state of Nagaland is still unable to extract oil and minerals despite the right guaranteed under Article 371 A, "but this notification has made absolutely mockery of our rights over land and its resources and this cannot go unchallenged".
While regulation of some sort is required, said the RPP, there is no doubt that it should be under the purview of the state government. "Therefore, the Rising People’s Party opposes tooth and nail this illegal notification". It added, "The general public is warned that none should submit to this central directive because there is the larger issue of constitutional rights involved as guaranteed under Article 371A".
On the recent report that the NDPP is merging into the BJP, the RPP statement said that" the the NDPP pooh-poohed and countered the RPP "crowing that it stands for regionalism". The RPP further said that this is the time the "NDPP man up and put one’s money where one’s mouth is". This is the time for facta non verba, it also added.
The NDPP led UDA coalition should immediately write to the Ministry of Jal Shakti and tell them in no uncertain terms that this notification is illegal and cannot be implemented.
The RPP then said that the NDPP should also tell the BJP government in the Centre that even laws passed by the Parliament of India shall not apply to the state of Nagaland unless the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland so decides. "Therefore, a mere notification of a ministry is null and void," the RPP stated.
The party then said that the Naga people are watching as to whether the NDPP-BJP coalition will have the same zest to go to Delhi on an issue which does not have monetary benefit for both the parties.
