New Delhi, 7 February 2025 – Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu introduced the Granting Legal Personhood to Rivers Bill, 2024 in Parliament during the ongoing Budget Session, aiming to provide legal protection to rivers and enhance conservation efforts.
The Private Member Bill seeks to recognize rivers as legal persons with rights similar to humans under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, ensuring their protection and sustainable management.
With over 400 rivers in the country, the Bill proposes the formation of a River Conservation Committee to oversee conservation efforts and protect rivers up to 40 km in length.
The central government will establish the committee within six months of the law’s enactment, maintaining a register to monitor river conditions nationwide.
The committee will consist of 13 members, including the Chairperson of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Secretaries from the Ministries of Jal Shakti, Environment, and Shipping, along with nominees from the President of India and the Prime Minister.
Sandhu stated that the Bill addresses uncontrolled pollution and river degradation, aligning with India’s cultural reverence for rivers as sacred entities.
Granting personhood to rivers, he said, would strengthen water resource management and conservation efforts.
The committee would have the authority to regulate river activities, monitor water health, and impose penalties for violations. The proposed penalties include fines up to ₹150 crore and imprisonment up to one year for harming rivers.
The Bill estimates a recurring expenditure of ₹300 crore and non-recurring costs of ₹50 crore annually, financed through the Consolidated Fund of India. Sandhu noted that New Zealand has already granted legal personhood to rivers, and in 2017, the Uttarakhand High Court recognized the Ganga and Yamuna as legal entities.
The Bill, if passed, would set a legislative precedent for river conservation in India.
