Water Resources Minister Brijmohan Agrawal (in pic) on Monday ratified a departmental proposal to extend the tenure of the chairmen and members of various water consumer bodies till the conduct of the forthcoming general elections next year.
As a result, the election of the chairmen and the members of the water consumer bodies would take place after the general elections. It may be mentioned that the tenure of the water consumer bodies had been fixed for a five-year term under ‘Farmers Stake holding in Chhattisgarh’s Irrigation Management Act 2006.’ During 2013, there were amendments made in the Sections 5, 8 and 11 of the said Act. As per the amendments made, the State Government under special circumstances can extend the tenure of the chairmen and members of the water consumer bodies by a period of one year for a tenure.
The tenure of the existing chairmen and members of the water consumer bodies was up to February 2012. The State Government during 2012 and 2013 by issuing orders twice extended the tenure of the office bearers.
Due to the conduct of the Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh this year, the notification on the working area of the water consumer bodies could not be published. Similarly, it was not possible to conduct the elections for the water consumer bodies as the employees in various districts have got down to preparing for the general elections.