|
|
|
| Sunday, 12 June 2005 |
 |
|
 |
News |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
NWR policy amended soon by Shanika Sriyananda The Ministry of Mahaweli, River Basin and Rajarata Development assured its willingness to bring further amendments to the Draft National Water Resources (NWR) Policy. The two water policies drafted by the two Ministries - Ministry of Mahaweli Development and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Development, Land and Irrigation have created a tug-of-war between the two Ministries each claiming to be the best policy to manage the country's water resources. However, Secretary Ministry of Mahaweli, River Basin and Rajarata Development T. Abeywickrama said at a Seminar on Water Resources Policy last week that the Ministry was ready to hear any criticism and to amend the Policy once again. "Water policy prepared by the Vietnam Government had changed 28 times. So, we are also ready to change our Policy to implement the 'best' water policy to manage the country's water resources", he said. Experts in the water sector gathered at the Seminar, organised by the Nation Builders Association with Lanka Jalani emphasised the need of opening the documents for public comments. They asked the authorities not to be in a hurry in bringing the Policy in. Requesting the authorities to acquire local expertise, who have adequate knowledge of global diversity of water resources and its management, in formulating the policy, they stressed the need of giving a firm assurance to traditional paddy farmers that 'irrigation water would not be taxed and country's water resources would not be privatised' to make any water policy a success. |
|
|||||||||
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
