National Water Policy Draft New Assault on the Masses.

National Water Policy Draft New Assault on the Masses.

The imperialist globalization-liberalization-privatization (GLP) imposed through the neo-liberal policies is snatching away all hard earned rights of the masses first by absolving the state from all responsibilities for the welfare of the people and second by privatizing-commercializing all essential services. In line with this, already the universal public distribution system of essential commodities, education, healthcare, communications and housing are already commercialized and employment is brought under   contract and hire and fire system. Now the central government has launched its latest assault on the people’s right to drinking water through the 15-page draft National Water Policy in line with the 2005 World Bank paper which had called for “simulating competition in and for the market for irrigation, water supply and sanitation services”, everything in the name of saving the scarce water resources and for ‘sustainable economic growth’. The new draft brought out is another attack on the masses of people who are facing pauperization and devastation under spiraling price rise, unemployment-under employment and rampant corruption in all fields.

It was a minority government led by Narasimha Rao which blatantly imposed the GLP regime over the country throwing over board the welfare measures under the Keynesian policies in 1991 under orders from the IMF-World Bank twins. The devastation which these policies have brought to the life of the masses and to the nature during the last two decades is already well revealed. Not contended with these, the present UPA government, the majority support of which is highly doubtful and which is only surviving because of the magnanimity of the opposition which refuse to move a no-confidence motion, as like the Congress and they are also afraid of an election, is frantically pursuing the neo-liberal policies in all fields as if in extreme hurry to complete the neo-colonial enslavement.

The draft water policy calls for privatization of water delivery services and for pricing of water to fully recover cost of operation and administration of water resource projects. It calls for the government’s withdrawal as a service provider in the water sector. Instead it calls for the private agai=encies and communities to play this role. This policy takes away people’s right over a precious resource and mean sharp rise in the cost of water in both rural and urban areas. Similar to the food security bill introduced, this is also an outright attack on the masses. It should be rejected outrightly . The CPI(ML) calls on all left and democratic forces to expose this latest assault on the masses of the people and to mobilize countrywide opposition to it.

K.N.Ramachandran,

General Secretary, CPI(ML).