Assuring that the rights of fishing communities will remain intact and be protected, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday told the House that signing of the tripartite agreement between the Goa government, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) will grant powers to the State to undertake dredging, navigation and other projects for development of inland waterways. The signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will ensure that the State’s powers over the six rivers declared as national waterways remain intact. The Act of Parliament passed and notified in 2016, makes sure that it does not restrict the power of the State government on inland waterways and that it will not infringe upon the rights of minerals and water, Parrikar said. As per the Inland Waterways Act, which is already in force in the State, IWAI is the authority to deal with dredging and opening up of navigational channels of all the rivers identified as national waterways. However, after much demand, the Central Government granted relaxation to Goa, directing that we should sign an MOU as per which all these rights will be vested to the State. IWAI will provide necessary funding, the Chief Minister said. With this, it’s very clear that State will not lose its right over the rivers nor will there be any restrictions on rights of fishing community, he stated adding that on behalf of Goa, the Captain of Ports will be signing the tripartite agreement. Parrikar was replying to the private member resolution tabled by Congress MLA Ravi Naik who recommended that the government should not sign any MoU between IWAI and MPT in order to protect the right of our rivers. The resolution was, however, defeated by 21 votes to 10. The resolution placed by the MLA is against the interest of the State. MoU ensures that the State rights over the rivers remain intact. The sole objective of declaring the rivers as national waterways are to promote the inland waterways for navigational purpose, Parrikar, who is also Minister for River Navigation, said. He said that as per MoU, the CoP will carry out a survey and investigate the inland waterways for their development and their better utilisation for navigational purpose. Renowned architect Charles Correa was of the view that State should make use of rivers for navigational purpose to reduce the pressure on roads, he said. The Chief Minister informed the House that National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has been asked to conduct an Environment Impact Assessment study (EIA) of the project, after which the MoU will be signed. He assured that the MoU draft would be presented to all MLAs for their views, before signing. Earlier, while moving the resolution, Naik said that nationalisation of rivers will be disaster for the State, which will have no rights left over the rivers. Participating in the discussion, Congress MLA Luizinho Faleiro stated that the government will have to ensure that all the stakeholders are taken into confidence by the Centre while undertaking development of these rivers. The Act of Parliament is a monstrous. It just cannot be accepted, he said. The MLA said that if the sole objective of nationalisation is to develop the inland waterways then it should be done by protecting the ecology, flora and fauna. NCP MLA Churchill Alemao brought to the notice of the House that in Calcutta, the State Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee has objected to nationalisation of rivers and declined to hand over the rivers. Rivers are gift of God and it is our duty to protect it, he stated.