THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It has been decided to form a three-tier committee to provide necessary views and advice to the government to take quick and accurate decisions on issues related to inter-state river water disputes. These include the Interstate Rivers Strategic Council, the Interstate Rivers Monitoring Committee, and the Interstate Rivers Legal Technology Cell. It replaces the existing Inter-State Water Advisory Committee.

The Chief Minister will be the Chairman and the Minister of Water Resources will be the Vice-Chairman of the Inter-State River Strategic Council. The Ministers of Forests and Energy will be members. Four MLAs and two MPs related to the proposed project area will be members. Apart from these, the Chief Secretary and the Secretary of the Water Resources Department will also be members.

The Council will take policy decisions to protect the public interest of Kerala in inter-state river water issues. The Committee shall take steps to effectively proceed with cases pending before the Supreme Court or the Inter-State River Tribunal. The Committee is responsible for closely monitoring the construction and operation of new projects involving inter-state river water disputes and making recommendations.

The Inter-State River Water Monitoring Committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary, will have the secretaries of Water Resources, Energy, Revenue, Forests, Agriculture and Legal as members. The KSEB Chairman and the Chief Engineer of Inter-State Rivers will be members. The Monitoring Committee is responsible for assisting the State Committee in formulating policy decisions on inter-state river water issues. It is responsible for taking steps to renew river water contracts in a timely manner and to evaluate construction activities and ensure interventions.

The Inter-State Rivers Legal Technical Cell is responsible for providing necessary legal advice to the Strategic Committee and the Monitoring Committee on inter-state river water issues.

The order was revoked

The Forest Department directed the Principal Secretary to cancel the order issued on November 5 by Principal Chief Conservator (Wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden to cut down 15 trees, shrubs and saplings on the leased land adjacent to the Mullaperiyar Baby Dam.

Permission to cut down trees was been issued in the application filed by Executive Engineer in Kambam of Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department without obtaining the clearance specified by the Central Rules. The affidavit filed on January 22, 2021 in the writ petition filed before by Kerala before the Supreme Court stated that the permission of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Standing Committee of the National Wildlife Board is required to allow axing of trees. The Rules of Business of the Government of Kerala stipulates that a matter affecting inter-state relations must be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration before taking a decision. The decision to cancel the order, which was issued without the required permission of the Central Government and without the permission of the State Government, was not legally binding.

BUDS school will be established

Permission will be given to set up a BUDS school on the land acquired under the Tsunami Rehabilitation Project in Kadappuram Panchayath in Thrissur district. For this, 0.1034 hectares of land from 0.1203 hectares of land will be allotted on lease to Kadappuram Grama Panchayat at an annual lease rate of Rs 100 per are.

Disaster Relief Fund

Thushara, wife of V Rakesh, a native of Valiyazhikal in Arattupuzha village in Alappuzha who died while undergoing treatment for an infection during the 2018 floods, has been allotted Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund.

Designations

It has been decided to create 10 posts of Civil Police Officers each at Elathur and Anchuthengu stations to effectively carry out the duties assigned to the coastal police stations.

It has been decided to create 118 posts on academic / non-academic basis on deputation / contract basis at Sree Narayana Guru Open University, Kollam.