The Gujarat Assembly today passed the new Irrigation and Drainage Bill 2013 making it mandatory for farmers to get licence to draw underground water exceeding proscribed depths and penal action against errant farmers, with a majority voice vote amid opposition Congress staging a walk out in protest.
The Gujarat Irrigation and Drainage Bill, 2013, which was introduced in the State Assembly yesterday seek to replace and repeal the existing Gujarat Irrigation Act 1879.
Today, following the conclusion of discussion on the Bill, State Water Resources Minister Babu Bokhiria put it for vote amid opposition and slogan shouting in the House by the Congress party members.
Protesting Congress members were demanding that the bill be sent to the select committee of the House for review, alleging that bill would give 'artificial and arbitrary control' of water for irrigation to the administration.
However, as the Speaker moved ahead with the voting process, the Congress members started shouting slogans, tore copies of the bill and threw it on the floor of the House and staged a walkout, led by leader of Opposition Shankarsinh Vaghela.
Vaghela claimed that the new Bill reflects the same 'colonial mindset' like that of the present Act which was introduced by the British in 1879.
The Bill was then passed with majority voice vote in absence of the main Opposition party.
Bokhiria, in his response to the various issues raised by the Opposition members during their speeches, justified the new bill and certain stringent provisions made in it.
"We have just removed provisions of the existing law which were redundant now. The new provisions in the Bill will not harm the farmer, but provide him protection.
