DRAFT CONSTITUTION 713
Shri Mahavir Tyagi : What about the rest of the waters ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Anything below the air you get.
Shri Mahavir Tyagi: What about waters beyond three miles ?
Shri M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar : May I ask Dr. Ambedkar if he is not aware that water is as much a property as anything else, if not better property and disputes over water have arisen in plenty ? To avoid disputes between a Province and the Union, is it not desirable to include waters also in the property of the Indian Union ?
Mr. President: He has answered that; he thinks it is not necessary to say that.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Anything above the land goes with the land. If there is a tree above the land, the tree goes with the land. Water is above the land and it goes with the land,
An Honourable Member : Sir………
Mr. President: I think we have sufficiently discussed and Dr. Ambedkar has replied to the debate. We need have no further discussion. I will put the article to vote.
Shri K. Hanumanthaiya (Mysore State) : I want one clarification, Sir. As Dr. Ambedkar says if territorial waters, that is, land three miles beyond the coast-line, belongs to the Union, where is the necessity for this section at all ?
Mr. President : That is the question which he has answered.
Shri K. Hanumanthaiya : If the interpretation of Dr. Ambedkar holds good.
Mr. President : No more discussion about it. Dr. Ambedkar has said what he has to say. Members have to take it.
I shall now put the article to vote.
The question is :
“That the following new article be added, after article 271 :—
All lands, minerals and 271-A. All lands, minerals and other things of other things of value lying things value underlying the ocean within the territorial of value lying within territorial waters of India shall vest in the Union and he Waters vest in the Union. held for the purposes of the Union. The motion was adopted.
Article 271-A was added to the Constitution.