Appoint spl committee as per SC order on river int'linking:DMK

Stressing the need for river interlinking, DMK today urged the Centre to appoint a Special Committee along the lines of Supreme Court directives on the matter.
Party advocate K S Radhakrishnan, accompanied by DMK MP S Thangavel, submitted a petition to Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat in Delhi, saying the Apex Court had in February 2012 directed the Centre to implement river interlinking.
"The linking of rivers and distribution of water are only in verbal but lack any constructive efforts, even though the judgement had been passed as early as February 27 2012, no action had been initiated in those directions by the Union (government) of India till date," he said.

Taking into account the "paramount interest" of the nation and the importance of the issues involved, government should constitute the Special Committee as per the Supreme Court's directions, he said.
Last year, the court had appointed a high-power committee comprising Minister of Water Resources, its secretary, Secretary of Ministry of Environment and Forest and four expert members appointed by Water Resources Ministry, Finance Ministry, Planning Commission and MoEF to execute the project.
Representatives from state governments, two social activists and senior advocate would also be part of it, it had ruled.