Interlinking Of Rivers (ILR)Interlinking Of Rivers (ILR)

The NPP formulated by NWDA is divided into two distinct components for massive water transfer across river basins.

• Himalayan Rivers Development Component: Envisages construction of storage reservoirs on principal rivers in India and Nepal, along with inter-linking canal systems to transfer surplus flows of the Ganga and Brahmaputra to the water-scarce West and South regions.
• Peninsular Rivers Development Component: Comprises 16 links connecting major peninsular rivers like Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, and West-flowing rivers of Kerala/Karnataka to balance regional water availability.
• Total Link Identification: Initially, 30 link projects (14 Himalayan and 16 Peninsular) were identified under the National Perspective Plan by NWDA for feasibility studies.
• Role of NWDA: National Water Development Agency (NWDA) functions under the Ministry of Jal Shakti to carry out water balance studies, topographical surveys, and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).

KBLP is the flagship first project of the National Interlinking of Rivers program, directly impacting Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

• Project Overview: The project aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken river (in Madhya Pradesh) to the Betwa river (in Uttar Pradesh/Madhya Pradesh) through the Daudhan Dam and a 221 km long canal.
• Beneficiary Districts in UP: In Uttar Pradesh, the project will immensely benefit drought-prone Bundelkhand districts including Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi, and Lalitpur.
• Panna Tiger Reserve Impact: A critical environmental concern is that the Daudhan Dam submerges a significant portion of the core wildlife habitat of the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
• Hydropower Generation: The project includes provisions for generating 103 MW of hydropower and supplying drinking water to about 62 lakh people in the region.

Several other high-profile river linking projects connect northern river basins, impacting Uttar Pradesh and neighboring states.

• Sharda-Yamuna Link Project: Proposes to surplus water transfer from the Sharda river to the Yamuna river, providing irrigation water to Western Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
• Ghaghra-Yamuna Link: Designed to link the Ghaghra river with the Yamuna to augment dry-season flows in the Yamuna basin and cater to eastern and central Uttar Pradesh.
• Godavari-Cauvery Link: A major component of the Peninsular grid, aiming to divert surplus floodwaters from the Godavari river to the Krishna and Cauvery river basins in South India.
• Kosi-Mechi Link: An Indo-Nepal transboundary project proposed to channel surplus waters of the Kosi river to the Mahananda and Mechi river basins for agricultural enhancement in Bihar.

While river interlinking offers massive socio-economic benefits, it brings forth profound ecological and geopolitical challenges.

• Mitigation of Floods and Droughts: ILR effectively addresses geographical spatial imbalances in water availability by routing excess monsoon floodwaters to arid and drought-stricken agricultural zones.
• Agricultural Growth & Food Security: Adds an estimated 35 million hectares of irrigation potential, boosting food grain production and rural employment opportunities across India.
• Ecological Disruption & Deforestation: Large-scale submergence of forests, loss of flora and fauna, and disruption of aquatic ecosystems and fish migration corridors remain major environmental roadblocks.
• Inter-State Water Disputes: Sharing of surplus water often sparks political friction and legal disputes between riparian states over basin water rights and reallocation quotas.