NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Satnam Singh Sandhu has introduced a private member bill -- Recognition of Legal Person Status of Rivers Bill, 2024 -- during the ongoing Budget session of Parliament.
The bill aims to grant rivers the status of "legal persons, " entitling them to rights similar to those of humans under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Highlighting the urgency of river conservation, Sandhu emphasised that the bill seeks to protect India's vast network of over 400 rivers, ensuring their right to exist, flourish, and be safeguarded from harm.
The proposed legislation recommends granting legal protection to rivers longer than 40 km and calls for the establishment of a Rivers Protection Committee to oversee the sustainable management, conservation, and well-being of rivers across the country.
According to the bill, the Union Government will have six months from the notification of the Act to constitute the committee. The Rivers Protection Committee will be responsible for maintaining a Register of Rivers to monitor and assess their condition.
The committee will consist of 13 members, including the Chairperson of the National Green Tribunal (NGT); Secretaries of the Ministries of Jal Shakti, Environment, Forests & Climate Change, and Ports, Shipping & Waterways; and one nominee each from the President and the Prime Minister of India.
Speaking about the bill, Satnam Singh Sandhu said, “The Recognition of Legal Person Status of Rivers Bill, 2024, is a crucial step towards addressing the longstanding issues of river pollution and degradation. Our rivers have been ignored for too long. This bill aligns with India’s deep-rooted cultural reverence for rivers, which have historically been considered sacred and vital to our identity, heritage, and survival.”
He further explained that granting personhood to rivers would strengthen conservation efforts and promote sustainable water management. Once enacted into law, the Rivers Protection Committee will have the authority to regulate river-based activities, oversee river health, and impose penalties for violations.
The bill proposes strict penalties for those found guilty of harming rivers -- a fine of up to Rs 150 crore, and imprisonment of up to one year.
On the Financial front, the bill includes Rs 300 crore in annual recurring expenditure, Rs 50 crore in non-recurring expenditure for setting up and operating the Rivers Protection Committee and Register of Rivers, and funds for these initiatives will be drawn from the Consolidated Fund of India.
The bill cites examples from across the world where rivers have been granted legal personhood. It says that New Zealand, which recognised the Whanganui River as a legal entity in 2017, enabled its protection and enforcement against pollution.
India's Uttarakhand High Court, in 2017 granted the Ganga and Yamuna rivers the status of living entities, giving them rights similar to human beings.
The bill also calls for a structured collaborative framework to regulate activities on river surfaces, improve management, assess existing regulatory provisions, and address issues related to public health and safety.