The Assam Cabinet has accorded approval to the Assam Urban Water Bodies (Preservation and Conservation) Bill, 2024 to ensure protection and conservation of water bodies within Master Plan Areas of all towns and cities of the state.
Assam Cabinet Approves Urban Water Bodies Preservation Bill
The bill, to be placed in the Assam Legislative Assembly, will cover private water bodies of 2 acres or more, as well as community water bodies and those belonging to religious institutions. Private water bodies smaller than 2 acres and those in reserved forests, national parks, or wildlife sanctuaries are exempt.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shared details of the cabinet decisions on social media. To enhance transparency, all information related to water bodies will be uploaded to a GIS portal.
Under this legislation, two levels of committees will be established – one at the district level and another at the state level. The district-level committee will conduct detailed surveys to identify and document all water bodies for inclusion in an official schedule.
