New Bill says farmers need a licence to draw water

Congress Legislature Party leader Shankarsinh Vaghela said his party would take the issue to the farmers after the Assembly session.

Congress MLA Paresh Dhanani described the new Bill as "the blackest law since the inception of the state of Gujarat". A similar remark made by GPP chief Keshubhai Patel was later removed from the record.

Congress chief whip Balvantsinh Rajput said the Bill would create an atmosphere of terror among farmers since irrigation officials would get "unbridled magisterial powers". He said this could even lead to a spurt in the number of suicides and increase in corruption.

Keshubhai Patel suggested setting up of a select committee to review the Bill. "In its present form, it is an attack on the rights of farmers and there is nothing innovative in it," he said.

Bill that kills?

n Farmers need a licence to draw water from canal or ground well beyond a limit

n Face six-month jail term or Rs 10,000 fine for violations

n Farmers having their land near a canal to pay for its water even if it reaches them by leakage

n 'Canal officers' on the loose can detain 'erring' farmers

House clears Bill replacing 'Bombay' with 'Gujarat'

The Gujarat Short Titles (Amendment) Amending Bill 2013 was passed unanimously in the state Assembly on Tuesday.

Presented by Law Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, the Bill seeks to replace word "Bombay" from Bombay Public Trust Act, 1960, with "Gujarat" and call it Gujarat Public Trust Act, 1960. Gujarat was formed on May 1, 1960, as a result of bifurcation of state of Bombay into states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. By section 3 of the Gujarat Adaptation of Laws Order 1960, the Bombay Public Trust Act 1960 in force in the state of Bombay was continued in Gujarat.

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