The Hindu : Declare rivers as national assets, says Naidu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 13, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Declare rivers as national assets, says Naidu

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI OCT. 12. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, today expressed himself strongly in favour of declaring all the rivers in the country national assets and a national resource.

Expressing his displeasure over the Cauvery imbroglio between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, Mr. Naidu said the sensitive river water issues should be viewed and tackled in a federal spirit. No State or leader should do or say anything which would precipitate the situation and create bad blood among the people of the riparian States.

River waters should be declared national assets so that there could be equitable and need-based sharing by all the States without a hitch. The Centre should come out with an integrated river water policy. The problem was that there was surplus water at the macro level and deficit at the micro level.

Asked about the alleged remarks by the Andhra Pradesh BJP leaders that he was not "honest" in tackling the Godavari river issue, Mr. said it was regrettable that while their own leader and Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, reacted favourably to his suggestion for the integration of the Ganga and Cauvery, the State BJP leaders were talking differently.

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Declare rivers as national assets, says Naidu