TN CM requests PM to Dam Safety Bill in abeyance

The Tamil Nadu government today
He said late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had earlier raised objections to "certain clauses" of the draft Bill, 2016 "since they encroach upon powers of state governments and also rights conferred on the state by virtue of Inter-State Agreements on dams owned, operated and maintained by the Government of Tamil Nadu but located in other state."
The state had earlier urged the Centre that the legislation should be re-examined and should not be "proceeded with in haste, without considering objections raised by Tamil Nadu threadbare."
"The Government of India has not circulated any revised draft after 2016 and it is presumed that the Bill in its original form has been approved by the Union Cabinet."

In his letter today, Palaniswami said he considered "it appropriate that consensus of all the states be obtained before bringing forward such a legislation on dam safety."