The Union government, for the first time, on August 9 invoked powers under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 to direct all State governments, Union Territories (UT) and the dam authorities in the country to give advance information on the release of water from dams and reservoirs to the neighbouring States and UTs situated in the downstream.
HC order
The direction has been issued acting on an order by the High Court of Karnataka, which on July 24 directed the National Executive Council (NEC) to consider exercising issuing directions to the State governments mandating them to give immediate intimation to the neighbouring States on the decision to release water from dams and reservoirs.
Acting on the court’s direction, the chairperson of the NEC on August 8 issued a direction to the Secretary of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Kalyan, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Orders
The orders passed by the NEC and the Secretary of Department of Water Resources were submitted before a Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S. Kinagi on Monday during the hearing of a PIL petition, filed by A. Mallikarjuna.
