Ken-Betwa Interlinking Project

Q What is the context  ?

A The Union Cabinet has approved the funding and implementation of the Ken-Betwa river interlinking project at the 2020-21 price level.

Q What are some details about Ken-Betwa Interlinking Project ?

A 

• 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

1. Phase-I: Daudhan dam complex and its appurtenances like Low Level Tunnel, High Level Tunnel, Ken-Betwa link canal and Power houses
2. Phase-II: Lower Orr dam, Bina complex project and Kotha Barrage

Q What is Utility of the Project ?

A 

• 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.

Q What are the hurdles in project ?

A 

• 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.

Q What is history of River Interlinking in India ?

A 

• 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.

Q When was the beginning of River – Interlinking in India ?

A 

• 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:

1. Northern Himalayan rivers inter-link component
2. Southern Peninsular component
3. Intrastate rivers linking component

Q What are the Objectives of inter-linking ?

A 

• 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

Q What are prospects of River inter-linking ?

A 

• 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.

 Q What are Advantages offered by river inter-linking ?

A 

• 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.

Q What are Issues with such projects ?

A 

• 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.

Q What are Criticisms of such projects ?

A 

• 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.