{"id":35116,"date":"2025-01-09T19:05:49","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T13:35:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=35116"},"modified":"2025-01-09T19:22:31","modified_gmt":"2025-01-09T13:52:31","slug":"india-river-interlinking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/09-01-2025\/india-river-interlinking","title":{"rendered":"Debate Over River Interlinking in India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/Geography; GS3\/Environment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The ambitious project of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/interlinking-of-rivers\/\">river interlinking in India<\/a>, aimed at connecting surplus rivers with those facing water deficits, has been touted as a solution to the country\u2019s water woes.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>However, this grandiose idea, which has been in the making for decades, is fundamentally flawed and poses significant environmental risks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Historical Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>concept of interlinking rivers<\/strong> dates back to the 19th century, with <strong>Sir Arthur Cotton<\/strong>\u2019s designs for<strong> irrigation dams in the Godavari and Krishna river valleys.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Over the years, this idea evolved, with notable contributions from engineers like <strong><em>M. Visvesvaraya, K.L. Rao, and Captain Dinshaw J. Dastur.<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The modern iteration of this concept, known as the <strong>National Water Grid, re-emerged as the River-Interlinking Project (ILR)<\/strong> under the Ministry of Water Resources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Current Initiatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In 2002, the <strong>Supreme Court of India<\/strong> ordered the Union Government to complete the river interlinking project within the next 12\u201315 years.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In response to this order, the Government of India appointed a Task Force and scientists, engineers, ecologists and others for the project related works.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Currently, River Interlinking in India is managed by the <strong>National Water Development Agency (NWDA)<\/strong>, established in 1982, and is part of the <strong>National Perspective Plan (NPP)<\/strong> formulated in 1980.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Do You Know?<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Hashim Commission Report (2004-05): <\/strong>It highlighted which rivers and at which locations water surpluses could be transferred and to which rivers, and at what factors in these rivers the transfer water could be taken.<br>&#8211; <strong>National Water Policy (NWP) 2012<\/strong> considered <strong>water as economic goods<\/strong> for promoting its conservation and efficient use.<br>1. It was formulated to govern the planning and development of water resources and their optimum utilization.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Components of the NPP<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Himalayan Rivers Development Component:<\/strong> It involves <strong>14 link projects<\/strong> aimed at transferring water from the Himalayan rivers to the northern and eastern parts of India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Peninsular Rivers Development Component:<\/strong> It includes 16 link projects designed to connect rivers in the southern part of India, transferring surplus water from the Mahanadi and Godavari rivers to the Krishna, Pennar, and Cauvery rivers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Projects and Their Status<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Out of the 30 identified link projects under the NPP, significant progress has been made:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pre-Feasibility Reports (PFRs):<\/strong> Completed for all 30 links.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Feasibility Reports (FRs)<\/strong>: Completed for 24 links.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Detailed Project Reports (DPRs):<\/strong> Completed for 8 links.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Projects<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/26-12-2024\/ken-betwa-river-linking-project-2\"><strong>Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP)<\/strong><\/a> is the first project under the NPP to be implemented. It aims to benefit the drought-prone Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It also aims to provide annual irrigation to 10.62 lakh hectares, drinking water to 62 lakh people, and generate 130 MW of power.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Priority Projects<\/strong>: Besides the <strong>Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP)<\/strong>, other priority projects include the <strong>Modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) Link and the Godavari-Cauvery Link<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"ebecec\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"953\" height=\"1015\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Debate-Over-River-Interlinking-in-India.webp\" alt=\"Debate-Over-River-Interlinking-in-India\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-35117\" style=\"--dominant-color: #ebecec; width:428px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Debate-Over-River-Interlinking-in-India.webp 953w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Debate-Over-River-Interlinking-in-India-282x300.webp 282w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Debate-Over-River-Interlinking-in-India-768x818.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 953px) 100vw, 953px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Need for Inter Basin Water Transfers (IBWT)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is necessarily required to overcome the water scarcity situations in the regions\/basins and to enhance water utility and reduce water wastage of water surplus areas in the following manner:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Large variation in rainfall<\/strong> and available water resources in space and time;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Diversion of water<\/strong> from water surplus basins to water deficit basins\/regions;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use of the surplus water which is otherwise flowing into the sea unutilized;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To mitigate likely adverse impact of climate change, short term and long term;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Benefits of River Interlinking<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Water Availability:<\/strong> Ensures equitable distribution of water across regions, addressing both drought and flood issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Agricultural Productivity:<\/strong> Enhances irrigation facilities, leading to increased agricultural output.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Drinking Water Supply:<\/strong> Provides reliable drinking water to millions of people.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hydropower Generation:<\/strong> Contributes to renewable energy production through hydropower projects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges and Concerns<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ecological Imbalance:<\/strong> Interlinking rivers can disrupt the natural flow of rivers, affecting aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity. The alteration of river courses can lead to the loss of habitats for various species.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Ken-Betwa River Link Project<\/strong>, for instance, involves constructing a dam within the <strong>Panna Tiger Reserve<\/strong>, raising concerns about submergence and loss of biodiversity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Financial Viability:<\/strong> High costs associated with the implementation and maintenance of the projects.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Ken-Betwa River Link Project<\/strong>, estimated to cost around \u20b945,000 crore, has faced objections from experts and circumvented strict legal terms for hydroelectric power projects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inter-State Disputes:<\/strong> States have the power to use water in <em>supplies, irrigation, canals, drainage, embankments, water storage, and water power <\/em>within their respective territories.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Water <\/strong>is listed in<strong> List II of the Seventh Schedule <\/strong>of the Indian Constitution, which is the <strong>State List<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, the <strong>Central Government<\/strong> has the power to regulate and develop <strong>inter-state rivers <\/strong>and river valleys<strong> List I of the Seventh Schedule.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Socio-Economic Impacts: <\/strong>The estimated cost of \u20b95.5 lakh crore does not account for the social, environmental, and operational expenses, which will ultimately burden taxpayers.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The displacement of communities, loss of livelihoods, and destruction of cultural heritage sites are significant issues that need to be addressed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Displacement of Communities:<\/strong> Large-scale projects often require the displacement of local communities, leading to social and economic challenges.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The resettlement process can be complex and may not always be fair or adequate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Climate Change Impact: <\/strong>The alteration of river systems can exacerbate the impacts of climate change, such as increased frequency and intensity of floods and droughts.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It can further strain the already vulnerable regions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Deforestation and Habitat Loss:<\/strong> The construction of canals and reservoirs requires large-scale deforestation, leading to habitat loss for wildlife.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It can also contribute to soil erosion and degradation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Water Quality Issues: <\/strong>The mixing of waters from different rivers can lead to changes in water quality, affecting both human and animal populations.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pollutants from one river can contaminate another, leading to health hazards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Climate Blindspot<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A study in <strong>Nature Communications<\/strong> reveals that river interlinking projects may inadvertently exacerbate water stress rather than alleviate it.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By altering natural water flows and disrupting hydro-meteorological systems, river interlinking can lead to unintended consequences such as changes in monsoon patterns.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These changes can, in turn, worsen the very water scarcity issues the projects aim to solve.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion and Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>While the idea of interlinking rivers to solve water scarcity is appealing, it overlooks the profound environmental and socio-economic costs.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A more holistic approach to watershed management, focusing on sustainable and localized solutions, is essential to address India\u2019s water challenges without causing irreversible damage to its natural and human landscapes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Instead of relying solely on large-scale infrastructural projects, there is a need to consider sustainable alternatives that take into account the complex interplay between climate, water resources, and ecosystems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> Critically examine the potential environmental consequences of river interlinking projects in India, considering the ecological, social, and economic implications.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_international\/issues\/115107\/OPS\/GNKDPT2K0.1+GB0DQVBSQ.1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-09-January-2025-PDF.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The ambitious project of river interlinking in India, aimed at connecting surplus rivers with those facing water deficits, has been touted as a solution to the country\u2019s water woes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35116"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35116\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35146,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35116\/revisions\/35146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}