Law for river management

The government is ready to consider the proposal for enacting a law
for management of major rivers in the State, Revenue Minister K.P.
Rajendran told the Assembly on Friday. Responding to a calling
attention motion from V.D. Satheesan (Congress), the Revenue Minister
said the matter would be placed before the Assembly Committee on
Environment. The government had created a River Management Fund and
mobilised Rs.66.8 crore over the last three years. Mr. Rajendran
admitted that the government had not been able to conduct sand
auditing as required every three years under existing laws on account
of paucity of staff and equipment.

The Hindu, July 11