Chennai, Jan 4 (BPNS)
The ruling DMK has moved Madras High Court challenging the Dam safety Act 2021 stating that the Act would completely reduce the power of the states over the control of dams located within their territory.
The petition was moved in the Madras High Court by the DMK, Myladuthurai Member of Parliament, S. Ramalingam on Tuesday.
Senior Advocate and Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), P. Wilson while appearing for the petitioner before the First bench of the Madras High Court represented by Acting Chief Justice, Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice P.D. Adikesavalu requested for an early hearing on the case given the importance of the subject.
P. Wilson while moving the petition said that the writ petition was challenging the Act on various grounds including the legislative competence of the Parliament to legislate the Act while the subject was in the state domain.
The advocate told the court that the Dam Safety Act 2021 will completely denude the control of the state over dams located inside and outside their territory under the Act.
The first bench of the Madras High Court allowed the request and permitted to move the petition on January 10th.
It may be noted that the Dam Safety Act 2021 had met with stiff resistance from the opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha and had objected to various provisions including the setting up of the National Committee on dam safety which will have only seven representatives from the states.
Political parties in Tamil Nadu had also opposed the Dam Safety Act 2021 stating that the rights of the state which was depending upon the neighbouring states for its due share of waters in inter-state rivers including Cauvery and Palar would be deprived off.
