Where are we headed ?

In the past 2 weeks , Karnataka Government ( supported by Karnataka Legislative Assembly ) had stopped supply of Cauveri waters to Tamilnadu

Despite Supreme Court twice ordering it to release the waters

Then last evening they decided to release the waters - but only " for irrigation " !

May be they feared that the Supreme Court might hold them in " Contempt of Court " and advise the President to impose Governor's rule in Karnataka ! May be because their counsel , Fali Nariman refused to plead their case any more !

Rising above the theatricals of the present crisis , the larger questions that the country needs to answer , are  :

Does a State have sole / unhindered " rights " over waters of rivers flowing through it , just because it controls the sluice-gates in a dam ?

In this respect , are we employing " Double Standards " while talking about Indus Treaty with Pakistan or when threatened by China constructing a dam on a tributary of Brahma-Putra ?

Or Russia laying claims to oil wealth under Arctic ? Or, USA allowing its citizens to mine minerals on moon / mars ?

I believe , even in case of minerals found entirely within the boundaries of a given State , such rights carry federal obligations !

There was a time when farmers of one State could not sell some of its produce beyond the state boundary

Even this archaic barrier is getting dismantled

If one State refuses to " share " its natural resources across State boundaries , that could set a very dangerous precedent

Tomorrow , Tamilnadu can turn around and say :

" Sunlight falling on Tamilnadu land is our  " exclusive and private "  natural resource .

We will not allow any Solar Power Producer in Tamilnadu , to sell such power beyond Tamilnadu , whether we  ourselves are short of power or not ! "

Can we imagine a situation tomorrow , where each State frames its own rules in respect of utilization of the following Natural Resources , claiming " Exclusive Ownership " ?

       *    Oil / Coal / Shale Gas / Fossil Fuels ( including in sea-basins just 5 km from any State shore )

      *    Ores of Iron / Copper / Zinc / Aluminum etc

      *    Trees ( timber ) that grow in our jungles

      *    Any number of minor minerals / chemicals

      *     Wind that blows freely over our land 

       *    Hydro Power generated along rivers flowing through various states

     *    Tidal Power generated from tides (eg : in Bay of Cambay - Gujarat )

May be 30+ States of India constitute a Federation . But we are NOT 30 + different Sovereign countries !

Let not our GREED break up the unity that Sardar Patel managed to forge in 1947  from 200 + Princely States

Our British rulers tried their best to see that we do not unite

Our current rulers must go out of their way to ensure that we stay united !

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04  Oct  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

     

     

     

#   Tomorrow , if a private sector company ( or a consortium of Indian

      Companies , in joint venture with foreign companies ) , invest Rs 1 Lakh

      Crores , to build the 22 Km long Kalpsar Dam across the Bay of Cambay

      in Gujarat , and generate 10,000 MW of power from Oceanic Tides  , -

     can they be allowed to set any selling price  ? At International price  ?

     I suppose , it would be next to impossible for them to " Export " such

     power beyond the shores of India  !

#   Incidentally , what about the Airwaves ( the 2G / 3G Spectrum )  ?

     Is that also a Natural Resource which belongs to the Nation ?