Rajya Sabha passes Maritime Bill amid din by Oppn members
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 27
The Parliament today passed the Marine Aid to Navigation Bill, 2021, with the Rajya Sabha clearing it amid din caused by the members of Opposition parties.
The Opposition benches indulged in sloganeering and held placards at the time of passage of the Bill in spite of persuasion by the Chair against the disruptions.
The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on March 22 during the last budget session of Parliament.
The Bill was moved in the Rajya Sabha on July 19 by Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, but could not make headway due to ruckus in the House.
The Bill repeals the Lighthouse Act, 1927, which governs the traditional navigation aid – the lighthouses.
It seeks to provide for development, maintenance and management of aids to navigation.
The need for the Bill stemmed from massive change in the maritime sector over the years. There has been enormous technological development in the field of marine aids to navigation such as vessel traffic services and diversification of aids to navigation to include technical aids other than lighthouses and lightships.
