Panaji (Goa): Congress party has expressed serious concern over nationalization of six rivers stating that the State will have no control over the rivers, thereafter.

Speaking to reporters today, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Shantaram Naik said that Section 3 of the National Waterways Act, 2016, itself says that “it is expedient in public interest that the Union should take under its control the regulation and development of the waterways specified in the schedule for the purposes of shipping and navigation to th extent provided in the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985’.

He said that if one reads the provisions of these two acts, the six rivers have become the property of Union Government and that State will not be able to undertake any activity in these waters or river banks without permission from Centre.

“Goa being small state, we cannot allow nationalization of our rivers. State will have no control and so also the fishing communities living along the river banks, will have no rights,” Naik said.

Naik accused State government of going ahead with MOU, without even having being done the social impact assessment study and obtained necessary clearances under Environment Protection Act, 1985.