The Special Committee for Inter-Linking of Rivers has recently submitted its progress report.
In this backdrop it is essential to understand what interlinking seeks to achieve.
What was the committee for?
The SC directed the Centre to set up a special committee following writ petition on ‘Networking of Rivers’ in 2012.
The court directed the committee to submit a bi-annual report to the Cabinet.
It also directed the Cabinet to take appropriate decisions.
What is the mandate?
The status reports are meant to be in accordance with the National Perspective Plan.
This plan was formulated in 1980 by the Ministry of Irrigation (now Water Resources).
The plan was in relation to inter-basin transfers.
It comprises of two components: peninsular rivers development and Himalayan rivers development.
India also has a National Water Development Agency (NWDA) (1982).
It conducts surveys and sees how feasible the proposals for interlinking river projects are.
What is Inter-Linking of Rivers programme?
A national water grid aims to connect various surplus rivers with deficient rivers.
It aims to transfer excess water from water-rich to water-deficit regions.
This is to help improve irrigation, increase water for drinking and industrial use.
Mitigating drought and floods to an extent are also part of the objectives.
What are the contents of the recent report?
The status report of three priority links was shared with the Cabinet. These are:
Ken-Betwa
Damanganga-Pinjal
Par-Tapi-Narmada
Ken-Betwa - The project aims to link the rivers Ken (in the Bundelkhand region) and Betwa and thereby divert the surplus waters of Ken to Betwa.
Both the rivers are flowing through Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
It goes for meeting the water requirements in the water-deficit Betwa basin.
Dams will be built across the Ken for storing and transferring water through the link canal.
Damanganga-Pinjal - The project aims to divert excess water from rivers in western India.
It is to meet the domestic and industrial water requirements of Greater Mumbai.
It proposes to move available water at the proposed Bhugad reservoir across the Damanganga and also at the proposed Khargihill reservoir across the Vagh (a tributary of the Damanganga).
Par-Tapi-Narmada - This proposes to transfer water from Western Ghats to water-deficit regions of Saurashtra and Kutch.
This would be done via seven reservoirs proposed in northern Maharashtra and southern Gujarat.
It is an attempt to save water at the Sardar Sarovar project.
The recent committee report also talks on the status of other Himalayan and peninsular links.
What are the concerns?
There are significant environmental concerns associated with inter-basin transfer.
The ecology of every river is unique.
Letting the waters of two rivers mix may affect biodiversity.
Besides, it involves construction of a massive network of canals and dams, which would lead to large-scale displacement of people.
It may make changes to agricultural patterns, and affect livelihoods.
In addition, rainfall patterns are changing due to climate change.
So the basins now supposed to be surplus, might cease to be so in few years.
There are financial concerns as well, related to the projects.
In 2001, the total cost for linking the Himalayan and peninsular rivers was estimated at Rs 5,60,000 crore.
The cost is now likely to be substantially higher.
Also, the cost-benefit ratio might no longer be favourable.
