States should go for rain harvesting in a right way: Hazare

There will be no inter-state water dispute if all the States take efforts for rain water harvesting, which will make the them water surplus, without depending on other States, social activist and Gandhian Anna Hazare said today.
Replying to a specific question on vexatious water disputes among the neighbouring States in India, particularly with reference to Tamil Nadu facing from Karnataka and Kerala, Hazare told reporters that one can expect fight between brothers, villagers, States and Countries for water in future.
The problem being faced by States lied on the failure of the Governments to utilise and store rain water in a productive manner by erecting check dams and also reservoirs, so that the ground water table increased, he said.

By this the States need not depend on the water from neighbouring States, which always led to dispute and friction between the people, Hazare, here to launch an inititiave by Siruthuli, to restore Noyall River, passing through four districts, said.
He said he was successful in replenishing water in his village Ralegoan Siddhi in Maharashtra, by which 1,200 acres of land being cultivated, where there was no no water for 400 acres of land for the last four decades.
When pointed out that in several areas in Maharashtra still have shortage of drinking water, Hazare blamed both the tubewell diggers and sand mafia for it.

He said that he has already met Chief Minister, Fadnavis and asked to bring in a legislation banning digging borewells beyond 250 feet deep for drinking water and 200 feet for agriculture purpose, which was expected soon.
Refusing to take on any question on politics and corruption, Hazare said that total prohibition can be achieved, by having a firm leadership in a village, as his village, which had 40 liquor shops some 20 years ago, have not a single shop now and even no no beedi or cigarette shops.
On the project of Noyyal Rifver, which is facing problem from some farmers and encroachment, Hazare said that there will records with the Government both with regard to land belonging to it and farmers.