Exercise almost complete, orders within next few days
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 31: Jammu and Kashmir Water Resources Regulatory Authority is all set to get new Chairperson and Member as exercise in this regard has almost been completed by the Government and formal orders are likely to be issued within next few days. With this, the Authority will function smoothly to achieve the objectives behind its constitution several years back.
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that administration has completed the entire exercise relating to the appointment of new Chairperson and Member of the Authority and the file has been submitted to the highest level for the approval, which is likely within next few days and thereafter formal orders will be issued.
At present K C Naik is functioning as Officiating Chairperson while as Iftikhar Kakroo is the Member of the Water Resources Regulatory Authority. One post each of Chairperson and Member is lying vacant since long as a result of which even the Officiating Chairperson and one Member were finding it difficult to ensure smooth functioning of the Authority, which as per the Act, should have one Chairperson and three Members.
“The names of the Chairperson and Member have been shortlisted by the administration strictly as per the provisions contained in the J&K Water Resources (Regulation and Management) Act, 2010″, sources said, adding “it would be after a long time that Authority will start functioning after the appointment of new Chairperson and one Member”.
Stating that functioning of Authority is hampering in the absence of full-time Chairperson and all the three Members, sources said, “what to talk of acting on other duties assigned under the Act, the Authority was not in a position to fix new water tariff for different categories of consumers as a result of which there was no improvement in revenue realization by the Jal Shakti Department”.
“As per the Regulations framed by the Authority the quorum for a meeting shall be two-third of the total membership of the Authority with the Chairperson present in person or a Member duly nominated by him/her to chair the meeting. The meeting shall stand adjourned if there is no quorum”, sources said, adding “keeping in view these Regulations, no proper business of the Authority could be transacted since long”.
It is pertinent to mention here that Authority has an essential duty of regulating water resources in the Union Territory and its mandate includes ensuring judicious, equitable and sustainable management, allocation and utilization of these resources, fixing the rates for use of water, and all other relevant matters.
As per the Act, the Government shall, from time to time, prepare the Water Policy and Plan for the development, management, planning, utilization and monitoring of water resources and Authority has an importance role to play in this regard.
Moreover, the Authority is supposed to determine the entitlement and distribution for various categories of use of water within each category and the terms and conditions of distribution or allocation; fix the priority for equitable distribution of water available at the resource, project, sub-basin and river basin levels during periods of scarcity; establish a water tariff system and fix the water usage charges for use of water.
Further, it has been vested with the powers to regulate use of water by the users and licensees from all water sources; adjudicate upon the disputes between the licensees and the department; specify or enforce standards with respect to quality, continuity and reliability of service by the department and the licensees; ensure satisfactory service on the part of the concerned department or agency to the users or licensees; advise the Government in the promotion of competition for the optimum utilization of water resources, administer and manage inter-state water resources apportionment on river systems and approve and review water resources schemes and projects.
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