Irrigation bill: Gujarat government has given "draconian' powers to government officials

Narmada canal

By Cedric Prakash*

The Gujarat Government has done it again! On February 26, 2013, it tabled the Gujarat Irrigation and Drainage Bill, 2013 which seeks to make it compulsory for farmers to get a licence to draw water from a canal or ground well beyond a certain limit and prescribes penal action including imprisonment against the errant farmers.
In a year designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Water Cooperation, the bill is absolutely draconian in nature clearly aimed against the small farmer and heavily weighing in favour of industrialists and powerful vested interests.
The bill was passed “unanimously”, after the Opposition in the Gujarat Assembly staged a walk-out demanding that the bill have a wider consultation and that all contentious portions from it be deleted immediately. The leader of the Opposition Mr. Shankersinh Vaghela stated “the bill was originally brought by the British who wanted to control the farmers. The State Government should withdraw the bill and form a committee to study it.”
The new bill seeks to replace the Bombay (Gujarat) Irrigation Act 1879 which was first enacted by the British 134 years ago. The bill has several contentious provisions, among them are:
· farmers need a licence to draw water from canals or ground well beyond a limit
· violations incur a six month jail term or a fine of Rs.10,000/-
· those farmers who have their land near a canal have to pay for the water even if it reaches them by percolation or leakage
· the appointment of “Canal Officers” with unbridled magisterial powers including to take into custody ‘erring’ farmers
On reading the bill, one is simply aghast at the way the farmer is targeted through this draconian bill. The sum and substance of this bill focuses on ‘policing, penalties and punishment’ (P3). The bill fails ‘in toto’ to have a comprehensive policy for water conservation and a participatory approach towards a precious natural resource which strictly belongs to the people.
At an important meeting convened under the banner of People’s Union for Civil Liberty’s (PUCL’s) Prabudh Nagrik Shakti Manch in Ahmedabad recently, it’s Convenor Mr. Suresh Mehta (a former Chief Minister of Gujarat) unequivocally stated that “the bill violates the Constitution and of the right to liberty. It will leave the farmers at the mercy of the Canal Officer...”
Several social activists from across the State feel that this new bill is clearly of a colonial mindset where the rulers think that they can arrogate unquestionable powers to themselves and abrogate the rights of the ordinary citizen. Over the next few weeks, Gujarat is bound to witness several public protests on this bill. Already the PUCL has launched a public awareness campaign and a signature drive requesting the Governor of Gujarat not to sign the bill in the wider interests of the people.
The bill is clearly another anti-people piece of legislation strongly indicating that fascism has come to rule the roost in Gujarat!

*Senior human rights activist

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge — Blurring the line between fiction and political narrative

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

BJP accounts for 99% of political donations in Gujarat: Corporate giants dominate

By Jag Jivan An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

‘No merit’ in Chakraborty’s claims: Personal ethics talk sans details raises questions

By Jag Jivan A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

Search This Blog