Interlinking of Rivers in India: Significance and Challenges

• Context (PIB): Minister of Jal Shakti chaired 21^st Meeting of Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers.
• It is an initiative to transfer water from water-surplus regions to water deficient & rain-fed areas through inter-basin transfers, to ensure greater equity in the distribution of water.
• ILRs are identified by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA), under the National Perspective Plan (NPP).
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Components under NPP: It includes two components, which comprises 30 links;
  1. 14 links under the Himalayan Rivers Component and
  2. 16 links under the Peninsular Rivers Component.
• Objective: To connect more than 60 rivers across India through a network of storage dams to form a gigantic South Asian Water Grid.

National Perspective Plan It was prepared by the then Ministry of Irrigation (now Ministry of Jal Shakti) in 1980. Objective: Water resources development through inter-basin transfer of water, for transferring water from water surplus basins to water-deficit basins.

Significance of Interlinking of Rivers

• Redistributing water flow: Flood control in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin and drought control in the western and peninsular states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, AP, Karnataka and TN
• Improved irrigation facilities in the water-scarce western and peninsular region, thereby increasing agriculture productivity, leading to enhanced food security and doubling of farmers’ income.
• Hydropower potential: It would add approx. 34,000 MW of hydropower to the energy pool of the nation addressing the electricity woes of industrial, agricultural, and rural households.
• Commercial benefits: Creation of logistics infrastructure, enable freight movement through environmentally friendly inland waterways.
• Sustainable development: It would help address the critical groundwater situation in the country by utilizing surface water and preventing flow of freshwater into the sea.
• Other benefits: Reduced burden on women to fetch water from long distances, employment opportunities in rural areas, multiply benefits through backward and forward linkages, etc.

Challenges with Interlinking of Rivers

• Environmental challenges: It may result in evaporation losses, water logging & salinity, and land submergence. For eg: Ken Betwa link may imperil areas of Panna National Park.
• ‘Developmental Displacement’
• Lack of Transparency and Information: Conclusive feasibility studies of the project have not been conducted in detail, nor have its economic, social and ecological implications been assessed.
• Impact of Climate change: Changing rainfall pattern with changing climate makes the implementation and achievement of intended benefits of ILR projects uncertain.
• Federal aspects: Water being a state subject, it is difficult to resolve issues of water sharing between states. For eg, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• Challenges in coordination with neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
• Unexplored alternatives such as watershed development, rainwater harvesting, optimising existing infrastructure and cropping methods could well address the water woes of the country.

Way Forward

• Scientific and technical assessment of the project to make it techno-economically feasible.
• Rehabilitation & relief package to resolve ‘developmental displacement’ issue.
• Including local communities, farmers, environmentalists, and state governments in the planning and implementation of the project.
• Assessing the ecological impact of interlinking rivers and ensure that sensitive ecosystems, biodiversity, and wildlife habitats are protected.
• Phased implementation based on feasibility, benefits, & minimal environmental-social impacts.

National Interlinking of Rivers Authority It is an independent autonomous body for planning, investigation, financing, and the implementation of the river interlinking projects in India. It will replace the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) and will function as an umbrella body for all river linking projects. It will coordinate with neighbouring countries and concerned states and departments “as directed” by the Ministry of Jal Shakti/Ministry of External Affairs. It shall have powers on issues related to environment, wildlife and forest clearances under the project. It can raise funds and act as a repository of borrowed funds or money received on deposit or loan given on interest. It shall have the power to set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for individual link projects.