River Interlinking
Rajasthan-MP collaborate on Modified PKC-ERCP Link Project
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Modified PKC-ERCP Project
Mains level: Read the attached story
Introduction
- Rajasthan and MP have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti to execute the Modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal-ERCP (Modified PKC-ERCP) Link Project.
About Modified PKC-ERCP Project
- Inter-link: The Modified PKC-ERCP is an inter-state river linking project, with preparations underway for a Detailed Project Report (DPR).
- Integration Purpose: This project aims to integrate the long-pending PKC river link project with the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) under the national perspective plan of the interlinking of rivers (ILR) program initiated by the Government of India.
- Update: This MoU will cover aspects such as water sharing, cost-benefit sharing, water exchange, and implementation mechanisms in the Chambal basin.
Understanding PKC Link Project
- Inclusion in National Plan: The Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) link project is one of the 30 links listed in the National Perspectives Plan, established by the former Union Ministry of Irrigation (now Ministry of Water Resources) and the Central Water Commission in 1980.
- Historical Progress: The preliminary feasibility report for the Kalisindh-Chambal link canal project was prepared in 1991. It proposed diverting water from river Newaj and Kalisindh to the river Chambal, either at the Rana Pratap Sagar dam or the Gandhi Sagar dam.
- ERCP Proposal: Rajasthan introduced the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) in 2019, aiming to optimize water resources.
- Merging of projects: Subsequently, the Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers (TFILR) explored merging the ERCP with the PKC link project, an integration approved by the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers in December 2022.
Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP)
- Project Objective: The ERCP targets intra-basin water transfer within the Chambal basin. It utilizes surplus monsoon water from subbasins like Kalisindh, Parvati, Mej, and Chakan, diverting it to water-deficient sub-basins such as Banas, Gambhiri, Banganga, and Parbati.
- Beneficiary Regions: The ERCP provides drinking and industrial water to 13 districts in eastern Rajasthan, including Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli, Sawai-Madhopur, Dausa, Jaipur, Ajmer, Tonk, Bundi, Kota, Baran, and Jhalawar.
Benefits of Modified Project
- Drinking and Industrial Water: The Modified PKC-ERCP project aims to provide drinking and industrial water to 13 eastern Rajasthan districts, Malwa, and Chambal regions of Madhya Pradesh.
- Irrigation: It also supports irrigation across a significant area in both states, totalling 5.6 lakh hectares or more.
Need for the MoU
- Dependable Yield Norms: The project’s planning was initially based on 50% dependable yield, contrary to the prevailing norm of 75% dependable yield for inter-state river projects.
- Integration Proposal: In November 2019, the Task Force on Interlinking of Rivers proposed exploring the integration of ERCP with the PKC Link Canal Project, following deliberations and consensus between both states.
- Modified PKC Link Proposal: As a result of these discussions, a proposal for the Modified PKC link project was formulated, combining components from the Government of MP and ERCP, designed for 75% dependable water availability.
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River Interlinking
Madhya Pradesh’s Ken-Betwa River Project
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Ken-Betwa Link Project
Mains level: Not Much
Introduction
- The Ken-Betwa river interlinking project, a significant initiative of the Madhya Pradesh government and part of the Centre’s ambitious plan, has come under scrutiny.
Overview of the Project and Violations
- Project Details: The Lower Orr dam, a part of the Ken-Betwa river interlinking project’s second phase, began construction in 2019.
- Violation of Clearance Laws: In 2022, an expert appraisal committee (EAC) reported that the project commenced without formal clearance from the Environment Ministry.
- Incomplete Construction: As of the last report, about 82% of the dam and 33.5% of the canal network were completed without necessary clearances.
- EAC’s Recent Recommendations: In December 2023, the EAC called for a fresh evaluation and more data on potential damage caused by the construction.
What is the Ken Betwa Link Project?
- First of its Kind: This project is the inaugural venture under the National Perspective Plan for interlinking Indian rivers.
- River Linking: It involves transferring water from the Ken River to the Betwa River, both tributaries of the Yamuna.
Phases of the Project
- Phase-I Components: This includes the Daudhan dam complex, Low Level Tunnel, High Level Tunnel, Ken-Betwa link canal, and Power houses.
- Phase-II Components: The second phase will see the construction of the Lower Orr dam, Bina complex project, and Kotha barrage.
Utility of the Project
- Irrigation Benefits: The project aims to irrigate 10.62 lakh hectares annually.
- Drinking Water Supply: It is expected to provide drinking water to 62 lakh people.
- Power Generation: The project will generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.
- Regional Development: It promises to bring socio-economic prosperity to the Bundelkhand region through increased agricultural activities and employment.
- Combating Rural Distress: The project is also seen as a solution to distress migration from this region.
Ecological Issues with the Project
- Scientific Basis: Concerns have been raised about the ‘surplus and deficit’ model and the availability of water in the Ken River.
- Water Sharing Disputes: UP and MP have had disagreements over water sharing, especially during non-monsoonal months.
- Environmental Impact: The project involves creating a reservoir dam in the Panna National Park and Tiger Reserve, impacting the downstream Ken Gharial Sanctuary.
- Wildlife Act Compliance: Approval by the National Board for Wildlife, as required under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, has not been confirmed.
Issues with the Projects
- Displacement: The project will lead to significant displacement of people.
- Topographical Changes: The flat topography of the Ganga basin poses challenges for dam construction.
- Inundation and Seismic Hazards: Large-scale water transfer risks inundating forests and creating seismic hazards in the Himalayan region.
- Financial and Political Challenges: The project requires substantial financial investment and political support.
- Land Acquisition and Ecological Feasibility: Consensus building for land acquisition and ecological concerns are major hurdles.
Criticisms of Such Projects
- Questionable Science: Critics argue that these projects are based on outdated water management understanding.
- Contravention with Nature: They are seen as going against natural processes, posing more threats than opportunities.
Way Forward
- Expert Scrutiny: Thorough and independent expert scrutiny during the approval stage is crucial.
- Independent Hydrological Study: A comprehensive study of these rivers is necessary to assess the feasibility and impact.
Conclusion
- Developmental projects like the Ken-Betwa Link should not compromise fragile ecosystems or important wildlife habitats.
- The potential destructive impact on the flow of water and sanctuary ecosystems, along with legal compliance, needs clear assessment and consideration.
- Sound environmental governance and due diligence are essential in balancing developmental needs with ecological preservation.
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River Interlinking
What ails the Ken-Betwa River Link Project?
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Ken-Betwa Interlink
Mains level: River interlinking projects
The Steering Committee of the Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) held its third meeting in New Delhi.
What is the Ken Betwa Link Project?
- The Ken-Betwa Link Project is the first project under the National Perspective Plan for the interlinking of rivers.
- Under this project, water from the Ken River will be transferred to the Betwa river.
- Both these rivers are tributaries of the river Yamuna.
The Project has two phases:
- Under Phase-I, one of the components — Daudhan dam complex and its appurtenances like Low Level Tunnel, High Level Tunnel, Ken-Betwa link canal and Power houses — will be completed.
- While in the Phase-II, three components — Lower Orr dam, Bina complex project and Kotha barrage — will be constructed.
Utility of the Project
- Irrigation: The project is slated to irrigate 10.62 lakh hectares annually, provide drinking water supply to 62 lakh people and generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.
- Water supply: The project will be of immense benefit to the water-starved Bundelkhand region, spread across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
- Agricultural boost: The project is expected to boost socio-economic prosperity in the backward Bundelkhand region on account of increased agricultural activities and employment generation.
- Addressing Rural Distress: It would also help in arresting distress migration from this region.
Ecological issues with the project
- The government’s plan is based on a ‘surplus and deficit’ model that have little basis in science.
- There may not even be enough water in the Ken, a non-perennial river, to meet the projected needs of the Betwa – forget the needs of the Bundelkhand region.
- UP and MP could not agree on how water would be shared, particularly in the non-monsoonal months.
- The project plans to create a high reservoir-dam on the Ken River in the Panna National Park and Tiger Reserve for the KBLP.
- Downstream of the national park lies the Ken Gharial Sanctuary, created to protect the critically endangered Gangetic gharial (Gavialis gangeticus).
What are the legal problems?
- Approval by the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife to the Ken-Betwa link Project has not been proved.
- This is necessary for the improvement and better management of the wildlife therein as provided in Section 35(6) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Issues with the projects
- Migration: It will lead to massive displacement of people
- Topography change: Since the Ganga basin topography is flat, building dams would not substantially add to river flows.
- Inundation: The transfer of such enormous amounts of water will inundate forests and land for reservoirs.
- Seismic hazards: The weight of billions of liters of water can have seismic implications in the Himalayan region.
- Financial expense: River inter-linking is an expensive business from building the link canals to the monitoring and maintenance of infrastructure.
- Political will: Implementation of the project not only needs a huge financial capital but also political support both is scarce commodities as of now.
- Consensus building for land acquisition: Another important issue is building consensus among states and Land acquisition.
- Ecological feasibility: Once the project is implemented it would lead to large-scale displacement of people and animals.
Criticisms of such projects
- Bad Science: Such projects are built on bad science and an outdated understanding of water systems and water management.
- Human determinism: Such projects go in contravention with natural process thereby generating more scope for threat than any opportunity.
Way forward
- Due diligence: Expert scrutiny during the project-approval stage are cornerstones of sound environmental governance.
- Independent hydrological study: of these rivers is necessary.
Conclusion
- No developmental project should destroy the ecology of remnant fragile ecosystems and an important tiger habitat in the country.
- Destructive impact of the proposed dam on the flow of water into and outside of this sanctuary should be immediately clear, as also its violation of the requirement under the Act for a sanctuary
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River Interlinking
In news: Sukapaika River
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Sukapaika River
Mains level: Rejuvenation of River
Sukapaika, a small river that stopped flowing 70 years ago in Odisha’s Cuttack district is set to be rejuvenated.
Sukapaika River
- The Suka-paika (the dead) River originated from another river, the Mahanadi, near Ayatpur village.
- It flowed 27.5 km before meeting the Mahanadi again at Bankala.
- In the 1950s, the State’s water resource engineers had in their wisdom closed the Sukapaika river mouth enabling development of the Taladanda Canal System, a major canal of the State.
- This led to the river mostly drying up.
- The process was aggravated by agricultural encroachments that had sprung up on the riverbanks.
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River Interlinking
Supreme Court orders status quo on Kaleshwaram Project expansion
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP)
Mains level: Read the attached story
The Supreme Court has ordered status quo on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) after it was told the Telangana government was increasing the capacity of the project without any environmental clearances.
Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP)
- The KLIP is a multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in Kaleshwaram, Bhupalpally in Telangana.
- Currently the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project, its farthest upstream influence is at the confluence of the Pranhita and Godavari rivers.
- The Pranahita River is itself a confluence of various smaller tributaries including the Wardha, Painganga, and Wainganga rivers which combine to form the seventh-largest drainage basin on the subcontinent.
- It remains untapped as its course is principally through dense forests and other ecologically sensitive zones such as wildlife sanctuaries.
Grandeur of the project
- Till date, the biggest lift schemes in the world were the Colorado lift scheme in America and the Great Manmade River in Egypt.
- The capacities of these schemes are in horsepower and they took over three decades for completion.
- Now, the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project, an Indian lift scheme has become the worlds biggest in terms of capacities.
Key facts associated
- Built across Godavari river, KLIP will lift the water to a height of half-a-kilometre.
- It is designed to irrigate 45 lakh acres for two crops in a year, meet the drinking water requirement of 70 percent of the state and also cater to the needs of the industry.
- The foundation stone for the Rs 80,500 crore project was laid in 2016 and claimed to be the world’s biggest project of its kind, completed in the shortest time.
- The government is planning to lift two thousand million cubic (TMC) feet of Godavari water per day from Medigadda barrage.
- Claimed to be an engineering marvel, the project comprises 1,832 km water supply route, 1,531 km gravity canal, 203 km tunnel routes, 20 lifts, 19 pump houses and 19 reservoirs with a storage capacity of 141 TMCs.
- It requires nearly 4,992 MW of electricity to pump 2 TMC of water every day in the first phase. The requirement will go up to 7,152 MW for lifting 3 TMC from next year.
How important is KLIP to Telangana?
- The project will enable farmers in Telangana to reap multiple crops with a year-round supply of water wherein earlier they were dependent on rains resulting in frequent crop failures.
- This year, Telangana farmers have already delivered bumper rabi crops of paddy and maize due to better irrigation facilities and an extended monsoon.
- KLIS covers several districts which used to face rainfall deficit and the groundwater is fluoride-contaminated.
- Apart from irrigation, a main component of the project is the supply of drinking water to several towns and villages and also to twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
- Mission Bhagiratha, to supply drinking water to every household in villages, draws a large quantity of water from the KLIS and some quantity from projects on River Krishna.
- There is a burgeoning freshwater fishing industry in the state.
Issues with the Project
- The NGT has observed that the Telangana government subsequently changed the design of the project to increase its capacity.
- By increasing its capacity to pump 3 TMC water from 2 TMC, large tracts of forest land and other land were taken over and massive infrastructure was built causing an adverse impact on the environment.
- Extraction of more water certainly requires more storage capacity and also affects hydrology and riverine ecology of Godavari River.
- Such issues have to be examined by the statutory authorities concerned.
Back2Basics: National Green Tribunal
- It is a specialized body set up under the National Green Tribunal Act (2010) for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
- With the establishment of the NGT, India became the third country in the world to set up a specialized environmental tribunal, only after Australia and New Zealand, and the first developing country to do so.
- NGT is mandated to make disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the same.
- The NGT has five places of sittings, New Delhi is the Principal place of sitting and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai are the other four.
Structure of NGT
- The Tribunal comprises of the Chairperson, the Judicial Members and Expert Members. They shall hold office for a term of five years and are not eligible for reappointment.
- The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
- A Selection Committee shall be formed by the central government to appoint the Judicial Members and Expert Members.
- There are to be at least 10 and a maximum 20 full-time judicial members and Expert Members in the tribunal.
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River Interlinking
Bedti-Varada Interlinking Project
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Bedti-Varada Interlinking Project
Mains level: River interlinking and associated issues
Environmental groups in Karnataka have criticised the project to link the Bedti and Varada rivers in Karnataka, calling it ‘unscientific’ and a ‘waste of public money’.
Bedti-Varada Interlinking Project
- The Bedti-Aghanashini-Varade river-linking project was also included in the country’s major rivers project devised by the then PM Vajpayee government.
- The Central Government had created a task force to prepare action plans for interlinking the riverbeds in 2002.
- The project cost and the source of investments were ascertained and suggested that the project be taken up in 2016.
Key details
- The Bedti-Varada project was envisaged in 1992 as one to supply drinking water by the then government.
- The plan aims to link the Bedti, a river flowing west into the Arabian Sea, with the Varada, a tributary of the Tungabhadra river, which flows into the Krishna, which in turn flows into the Bay of Bengal.
- A massive dam will be erected at Hirevadatti in Gadag district under the project. A second dam will be built on the Pattanahalla river at Menasagoda in Sirsi, Uttara Kannada district.
- Both dams will take water to the Varada via tunnels of length 6.3 kilometres and 2.2-km. The water will reach at a place called Kengre.
- It will then go down a 6.88 km tunnel to Hakkalumane, where it will join the Varada.
- The project thus envisages taking water from the water surplus Sirsi-Yellapura region of Uttara Kannada district to the arid Raichur, Gadag and Koppal districts.
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River Interlinking
Par Tapi Narmada River-Linking Project
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Par Tapi Narmada river-linking project
Mains level: Not Much
The tribals in Gujarat held a public meeting in Kaprada in Valsad district to protest against the Centre’s Par Tapi Narmada (PTN) river-linking project.
Par Tapi Narmada river-linking project
- The PTN link project was envisioned under the 1980 National Perspective Plan under the former Union Ministry of Irrigation and the Central Water Commission (CWC).
- The project proposes to transfer river water from the surplus regions of the Western Ghats to the deficit regions of Saurashtra and Kutch.
- It proposes to link three rivers — Par, originating from Nashik in Maharashtra and flowing through Valsad, Tapi from Saputara that flows through Maharashtra and Surat in Gujarat, and Narmada originating in Madhya Pradesh and flowing through Maharashtra and Bharuch and Narmada districts in Gujarat.
Components of the project
- The link mainly includes the construction of seven dams (Jheri, Mohankavchali, Paikhed, Chasmandva, Chikkar, Dabdar and Kelwan), three diversion weirs and two tunnels.
- Of these, the Jheri dam falls in Nashik, while the remaining dams are in Valsad and Dang districts of South Gujarat.
Centre’s role
- A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Gujarat, Maharashtra and the central government on May 3, 2010.
- It envisaged that Gujarat would get the benefit of the Par Tapi Narmada link project through en-route irrigation from the link canal and in the drought-prone Saurashtra Kutch region by way of substitution.
Issues with the Project
- About 6065 hectares of land area will be submerged due to the proposed reservoirs.
- A total of 61 villages will be affected, of which one will be fully submerged and the remaining 60 partly.
- The total number of affected families would be 2,509 of which 98 families would be affected due to the creation of the Jheri reservoir, the only one in Maharashtra, spread over six villages.
- The affected families may lose their lands or houses or both in the submergence when the reservoirs are created.
- The districts where the project will be implemented are largely dominated, by tribals who fear displacement.
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River Interlinking
In news: Interstate River Water Disputes Act, 1956
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: IRWD Act
Mains level: Interstate river water disputes
Karnataka CM has said irrigation projects are bogged down by river water sharing disputes and asked the Centre to ‘revisit the Inter-State River Water Disputes (IWRD) Act since the law is creating more disputes than resolving them’.
About IWRD Act
- The IWRD Act, 1956 aims to resolve the water disputes that would arise in the use, control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley.
- Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the state/regional governments.
- This act is confined to states of India and not applicable to union territories.
- Only concerned state governments are entitled to participate in the tribunal adjudication and non-government entities are not permitted.
Jurisdictions over Rivers
- River waters use / harnessing is included in states jurisdiction.
- However, Union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and river valleys to the extent such water resources are directly under its control when expedient in the public interest.
- When union government wants to take over a interstate river project under its control by law, it has to take approval of the riparian states’ legislature assemblies before passing such bill in the Parliament per Article 252 of the constitution.
- When public interest is served, President may also establish an interstate council as per Article 263 to inquire and recommend on the dispute that has arisen between the states of India.
Resolution of disputes
- Dispute resolution is a layered process, as mandated by the ISWD Act.
- After receiving a complaint from a state, the Union government first tries to mediate. It is only when negotiations fail that the Centre is required to form a tribunal to adjudicate the dispute.
- If a State Government makes a request regarding any water dispute and the Central Government is of opinion that the water dispute cannot be settled by negotiations, then a Tribunal is constituted.
Constitution of Tribunal
- Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an interstate river waters, section 4 of IRWD Act provides for a Tribunal.
- The tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions.
- The tribunal responsibility is not limited to adjudication of issues raised by the concerned states and but investigation of other aspects such as water pollution, water quality deterioration, flood control etc.
Time-frame for dispute resolution
- The tribunals have been allotted three years to arrive at a final decision, extendable by two years.
- The 2002 Amendment to the ISWD Act specified a one-year limit on the timeline allowed to carry out the process of dispute resolution.
Active tribunals in India
- Ravi & Beas Water Tribunal (1986) – Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan
- Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal II (2004) – Karnataka, Telangana, Andra Pradesh, Maharashtra
- Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal (2010) – Goa,Karnataka, Maharashtra
- Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal (2010) – Andra Pradesh & Odisha
- Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (2018) – Odisha & Chattisgarh
Need for the IWRD Act
- Major inter-state river basins: India has 25 major river basins, with most rivers flowing across states.
- Equitable distribution of water: As river basins are shared resources, a coordinated approach between the states is necessary for the preservation, equitable distribution and sustainable utilization of river water.
- Hydro-politics: Much recently, interstate rivers in India have become sites of contestations, fuelled by conflicting perceptions of property rights, flawed economic instruments for food security.
- Sustainability: This has led to a lack of an integrated ecosystems approach, and the prevalence of reductionist hydrology for water resource development.
Issues with IRWD Act
- Centre’s dilemma: Since river water falls within the ambit of State Subjects, its governance remains confined to the limits of the state political discourse.
- Interference of Judiciary: The apex court has limited the role of the tribunals to quantification and allocation of water between riparian states, and its own role is to be an interpreter of the awards and agreements.
- Colonial award: The history of colonial rule has led to the creation of asymmetries between states, and the present water disputes stem from the reproduction of this imperial and colonial power relation.
- Structural issues: Various operational characteristics of the tribunals as problematic, since they do not adhere to any established system.
- Operational issues: For instance, the sittings are not routine, the functioning is outside the regular court system, and day-to-day or week-to-week hearings are few and far in between.
Why this has become a sensitive topic?
- Associated ethnicity: At the state level, river water is politically perceived as part of the larger issue of “regional sharing of resources,” which is linked with the ethnic and cultural identity of the state and its people.
- Matter of autonomy: The political narrative around river disputes is subsumed within the question of regional rights, and any possibility of water sharing is seen as a compromise or infringement on the regional autonomy of a state.
- Identity politics: Hence, the political narrative around the river disputes jumps to a larger scale of identity politics.
Way forward
- For such dispute resolution, all other recourses such as mediation and conciliation must remain viable options.
- These should operate simultaneously along with adjudication and political consensus among the riparian states.
- Directly approaching the Supreme Court may result in adversarial outcomes, with the conflict reaching a point of no return.
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River Interlinking
[pib] Saryu Nahar National Project
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Sarayu River
Mains level: River interlinking and associated issues
PM will inaugurate the Saryu Nahar National Project.
Saryu Nahar National Project
- The Project involves the interlinking of five rivers – Ghaghara, Saryu, Rapti, Banganga and Rohini to ensure optimum usage of water resources of the region.
- It will benefit nine districts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh namely – Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharthnagar, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Gorakhpur and Maharajganj.
- The sub canals with a length of 6,600km have been linked to the 318km main canal.
- The work on the project started in 1978 but due to lack of continuity, it got delayed and was not completed even after nearly four decades.
Benefits offered
- The project will provide assured water for irrigation of over 14 lakh hectares of land and benefit about 29 lakh farmers of over 6200 villages.
- The farmers of the region, who were the worst sufferers of the inordinate delay in the project, will now immensely benefit from the upgraded irrigation potential.
- They will now be able to grow crops on a larger scale and maximize the agri-potential of the region.
Back2Basics: Sarayu River
- The Sarayu is a river that originates at a ridge south of Nanda Kot mountain in Bageshwar district in Uttarakhand.
- It flows through Kapkot, Bageshwar, and Seraghat towns before discharging into the Sharda River at Pancheshwar at the India—Nepal border.
- Lower Ghaghara is also popularly known as Sarayu in India.
- Especially while it flows through the city of Ayodhya, the birthplace of legendary Rama.
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River Interlinking
Cabinet nods for Ken-Betwa Interlinking Project
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Ken-Betwa Interlinking Project
Mains level: River interlinking and associated issues
The Union Cabinet has approved the funding and implementation of the Ken-Betwa river interlinking project at the 2020-21 price level.
Ken-Betwa Interlinking Project
- The Ken-Betwa Link Project is the first project under the National Perspective Plan for the interlinking of rivers.
- Under this project, water from the Ken River will be transferred to the Betwa River. Both these rivers are tributaries of the river Yamuna.
- The project is being managed by India’s National Water Development Agency (NWDA), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
- Implementation of the project
- Phase-I: Daudhan dam complex and its appurtenances like Low Level Tunnel, High Level Tunnel, Ken-Betwa link canal and Power houses
- Phase-II: Lower Orr dam, Bina complex project and Kotha Barrage
Utility of the Project
- Irrigation: The project is slated to irrigate 10.62 lakh hectares annually, provide drinking water supply to 62 lakh people and generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.
- Water supply: The project will be of immense benefit to the water-starved Bundelkhand region, spread across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
- Agricultural boost: The project is expected to boost socio-economic prosperity in the backward Bundelkhand region on account of increased agricultural activities and employment generation.
- Addressing Rural Distress: It would also help in arresting distress migration from this region.
Many hurdles
- Submergence of critical wildlife habitat: The project will partly submerge the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh and affect the habitat of vultures and jackals.
- Clearance: After years of protests, it was finally cleared by the apex wildlife regulator, the National Board for Wildlife, in 2016.
- Water sharing disputes: Then UP and MP could not agree on how water would be shared, particularly in the non-monsoonal months.
Back2Basics: River Interlinking in India
History
- The idea of interlinking of rivers in the Indian subcontinent is atleast 150 years old.
- During the British Raj in India, Sir Arthur Cotton, a British general and irrigation engineer, first suggested linking the Ganga and the Cauvery for navigational purposes.
- K.L. Rao’s Proposal (1972), which had 2640 km long Ganga – Cauvery link as its main component involved large scale pumping over a head of 550 m.
- The Central Water Commission, which examined the proposal, found it to be grossly under estimated and economically prohibitive.
Capt. Dastur Proposal (1977)
It envisaged the construction of two canals:
- 4200 km Himalayan Canal at the foot of Himalayan slopes running from the Ravi in the West to the Brahmaputra and beyond in the east
- 9300 km Garland Canal covering the central and southern parts
Beginning of implementation
- The Indian Rivers Inter-link aims to link India’s rivers by a network of reservoirs and canals and so reduce persistent floods in some parts and water shortages in other parts of India.
- The idea to link rivers got a shot in the arm with the establishment of the National Water Development Agency in 1982 by then PM Indira Gandhi.
- The Inter-link project was split into three parts:
- Northern Himalayan rivers inter-link component
- Southern Peninsular component
- Intrastate rivers linking component
Objectives of inter-linking
- Connect the Himalayan and peninsular rivers via a network of canals so that
- Excess water from one channel can be diverted to another which has an inadequate flow
- Flood moderation in the Ganga-Brahmaputra system
- Hydropower generation through excess water
Prospects of River inter-linking
- Engineering challenges: This is one of the most daring feats of engineering attempted in the history of mankind.
- Ecosystem challenges: It is a reimagining of the entire aquatic ecosystem of a country as large and diverse as India.
Advantages offered by river inter-linking
- Flood control and mitigation: Problems related to flood control, irrigation, limiting droughts and boosting farm output—can be sorted out by linking the country’s rivers.
- Economic boost: Potential benefits to transport infrastructure through navigation, as well as to broadening income sources in rural areas through fish farming.
Issues with such projects
- Migration: It will lead to massive displacement of people
- Topography change: Since the Ganga basin topography is flat, building dams would not substantially add to river flows.
- Inundation: The transfer of such enormous amounts of water will inundate forests and land for reservoirs.
- Seismic hazards: The weight of billions of liters of water can have seismic implications in the Himalayan region.
- Financial expense: River inter-linking is an expensive business from building the link canals to the monitoring and maintenance infrastructure.
- Political will: Implementation of the project not only needs a huge financial capital but also political support both is scarce commodities as of now.
- Consensus building for land acquisition: Another important issue is building consensus among states and Land acquisition.
- Ecological feasibility: Once the project is implemented it would lead to large-scale displacement of people and animals.
Criticisms of such projects
- Bad Science: Such projects are built on bad science and an outdated understanding of water systems and water management.
- Human determinism: Such projects go in contravention with natural process thereby generating more scope for threat than any opportunity.
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River Interlinking
Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP)
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Ken-Betwa Linking Project
Mains level: River interlinking
In the presence of PM and Jal Shakti Minister, the CMs of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have signed an agreement to implement the Ken Betwa Link Project (KBLP).
Must read:
What is the Ken Betwa Link Project?
- The Ken-Betwa Link Project is the first project under the National Perspective Plan for the interlinking of rivers.
- Under this project, water from the Ken River will be transferred to the Betwa river. Both these rivers are tributaries of the river Yamuna.
- The project is expected to provide annual irrigation of 10.62 lakh hectares, drinking water supply to about 62 lakh people and also generate 103 MW of hydropower.
The Project has two phases:
- Under Phase-I, one of the components — Daudhan dam complex and its appurtenances like Low Level Tunnel, High Level Tunnel, Ken-Betwa link canal and Power houses — will be completed.
- While in the Phase-II, three components — Lower Orr dam, Bina complex project and Kotha barrage — will be constructed.
Regions benefitting from KBLP
- The project lies in Bundelkhand, a drought-prone region, which spreads across 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
- It will be of immense benefit to the water-starved region of Bundelkhand, especially in the districts of Panna, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh, Datia, Vidisha, Shivpuri and Raisen of Madhya Pradesh and Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur of Uttar Pradesh.
- It will pave the way for more interlinking of river projects to ensure that scarcity of water does not become an inhibitor to development in the country.
What about the Panna tiger reserve?
- Out of the 6,017 ha of forest area coming under submergence of Daudhan dam of Ken Betwa Link Project, 4,206 ha of the area lies within the core tiger habitat of Panna Tiger Reserve.
Previous examples of river-linking
- In the past, several river linking projects have been taken up. For instance, under the Periyar Project, the transfer of water from the Periyar basin to the Vaigai basin was envisaged.
- It was commissioned in 1895.
- Similarly, other projects such as Parambikulam Aliyar, Kurnool Cudappah Canal, Telugu Ganga Project, and Ravi-Beas-Sutlej were undertaken.
Recent developments on the interlinking of rivers in India
- In the 1970s, the idea of transferring surplus water from a river to a water-deficit area was mooted by the then Union Irrigation Minister Dr K L Rao.
- Rao, who himself was an engineer, suggested the construction of a National Water Grid for transferring water from water-rich areas to water-deficit areas.
- Similarly, Captain Dinshaw J Dastur proposed the Garland Canal to redistribute water from one area to another.
- However, the government did not pursue these two ideas further.
The National Perspective Plan
- It was in August, 1980 that the Ministry of Irrigation prepared a National Perspective Plan (NNP) for water resources development envisaging inter-basin water transfer in the country.
- The NPP comprised two components: (i) Himalayan Rivers Development; and (ii) Peninsular Rivers Development.
- Based on the NPP, the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) identified 30 river links—16 under the Peninsular component and 14 under the Himalayan Component.
- Later, the river linking idea was revived under the then Vajpayee Government.
Ken Betwa Link Project is one of the 16 river linking projects under the Peninsular component.
Clearances required for a river-linking project
- Generally, 4-5 types of clearances are required for the interlinking of river projects.
- These are Techno-economic (given by the Central Water Commission); Forest Clearance and Environmental clearance (Ministry of Environment & Forests); Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) Plan of Tribal Population (Ministry of Tribal Affairs) and Wildlife clearance (Central Empowered Committee).
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River Interlinking
Danube-Oder-Elbe Canal
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Rivers mentioned in the newscard
Mains level: Not Much
Environmental organisations from across central and Eastern Europe have criticised a major project intending to link three rivers and provide seamless navigation between three of Europe’s peripheral seas, according to a statement.
Danube-Oder-Elbe Canal
- For centuries Europe’s rulers have dreamed of construction of a huge Y-shaped canal connecting the Elbe, Oder and Danube rivers, most of which would be on Czech territory.
- The Canal intends to connect the Danube, Oder and Elbe rivers and thus provide another navigable link from the Black Sea to the North and Baltic Seas.
- The Main-Danube Canal already provided a navigable connection between the Black Sea and the North Sea.
- Several hundred kilometres of artificial waterways would have to be built for the canal, according to the statement.
- Critics have called on the European Commission to ensure that the project be excluded from EU funding, and not be included as part of the Trans-European Transport Network.
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River Interlinking
National Interlinking of Rivers Authority (NIRA)
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: National Interlinking of Rivers Authority (NIRA)
Mains level: Interlinking of rivers
The Central government is working on the establishment of an exclusive body to implement projects for linking rivers.
National Interlinking of Rivers Authority
- To be called the NIRA, the proposed body is expected to take up both inter-State and intra-State projects.
- It will also make arrangements for generating up funds, internally and externally.
- Headed by Union Minister of Jal Shakti, the panel includes Irrigation or Water Resources Ministers and Secretaries of States.
- It is being assisted by a Task Force for ILR, which is a committee of experts essentially drawn from the Jal Shakti Ministry, Central Water Commission and the NWDA.
About National River Linking Project (NRLP)
- The NRLP formally known as the National Perspective Plan, envisages the transfer of water from water ‘surplus’ basins where there is flooding to water ‘deficit’ basins where there is drought/scarcity, through inter-basin water transfer projects.
- It is designed to ease water shortages in western and southern India while mitigating the impacts of recurrent floods in the eastern parts of the Ganga basin.
- Interlinking of rivers was conceived more than 125 years ago by Sir Arthur Cotton, mainly to facilitate trade but it was not implemented then.
- The proposed NRLP, now comprises 29 canals totalling 9,600 km, will involve the movement of 245 trillion litres of water.
- If and when implemented, it will be one of the biggest inter-basin water transfer projects in the world.
ILR Projects in India
- As of now, six ILR projects — the Ken-Betwa, Damanganga- Pinjal, Par-Tapi-Narmada, Manas-Sankosh-Teesta-Ganga, Mahanadi-Godavari and Godavari-Cauvery (Grand Anicut) — have been under examination of the authorities.
- The Ken-Betwa ILR is India’s first such project.
- With regard to the peninsular rivers, the Centre has chosen to focus on the Godavari-Cauvery link than the earlier proposal to link the Mahanadi-Godavari-Krishna-Pennar-Cauvery rivers.
Issues and Concerns
Ecological issues
One of the major concerns is that rivers change their course in 70–100 years and thus once they are linked, future change of course could create huge practical problems for the project.
Aqua life
A number of leading environmentalists are of the opinion that the project could be an ecological disaster. There would be a decrease in downstream flows resulting in reduction of fresh water inflows into the seas seriously jeopardizing aquatic life.
Deforestation
Creation of canals would need large areas of land resulting in large scale deforestation in certain areas.
Areas getting submerged
Possibility of new dams comes with the threat of large otherwise habitable or reserved land getting submerged under water or surface water. Fertile deltas will be under threat, with coastal erosion expected to threaten the land and livelihoods of local economies that support 160 million people.
Displacement of people
As large strips of land might have to be converted to canals, a considerable population living in these areas must need to be rehabilitated to new areas.
Dirtying of clean water
As the rivers interlink, rivers with dirty water will get connected to rivers with clean water, hence dirtying the clean water.
Disrupting of ecological flow
On implementation, water discharge in 23 out of 29 rivers will reduce considerably, they say. The Ganga will see a 24% decrease in flow. Its tributaries Gandak (-68%) and Ghaghara (-55%) will be the worst affected. While the Brahmaputra will see only a 6% loss, its tributaries will see massive flow reductions: Manas (-73%), Sankosh (-72%) and Raidhak (-53%). Changes in water flow and trapping of silt in reservoirs will see a dip in the sediment deposited by rivers.
Must read:
https://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/national-river-linking-project-dream-or-disaster
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River Interlinking
[pib] Godavari and Cauvery River Linking Project
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Godavari– Cauvery Link Project
Mains level: Interlinking of rivers
The draft Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Godavari and Cauvery River Linking Project has been completed by National Water Development Agency (NWDA).
Godavari– Cauvery Link Project
- The project consists of 3 links viz., Godavari (Inchampalli/Janampet) – Krishna (Nagarjunasagar), Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) – Pennar (Somasila) and Pennar (Somasila) – Cauvery (Grand Anicut).
- This proposal to link Godavari, which is prone to flooding, and Krishna, which doesn’t have enough water, has been around for several decades.
- While river-interlinking for the purposes of navigation as an idea was mooted by the British in India, in 1972, engineer and Union Minister KL Rao proposed the linking of Godavari and Krishna for irrigation.
- The decades-old proposal finally took shape in the 2000s, and in 2016, the Andhra government linked the two rivers with the Pattiseema-Polavaram Lift Irrigation project, in Andhra’s West Godavari district.
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