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River Interlinking and Environmental Collapse
Context:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ken-Betwa River Link Project on December 25, 2024, to address water scarcity. However, the project has raised significant concerns, including the construction of a dam which threatens parts of wildlife habitat.
Project Overview:
- Purpose: The project aims to solve water scarcity in the Bundelkhand region, covering parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
- Dam Location: This includes the construction of a dam within the Panna Tiger Reserve, which raises concerns about submergence and ecological damage.
- River Interlinking: Seeks to link the supposedly water-surplus Ken River with the Betwa River to alleviate drought conditions in Bundelkhand.
- Historical Forest Cover: Bundelkhand had 58% forest cover in 1938, highlighting its ecological richness before human interventions.
- Concerns: The project, costing ₹45,000 crore, has faced objections from experts, including members of an empowered Supreme Court committee. It bypasses strict environmental laws related to hydroelectric projects, raising ethical and environmental concerns.
Historical Context of River Interlinking:
- Origins: The idea of inter-basin water transfers was introduced 130 years ago by Sir Arthur Cotton and later refined by M. Visvesvaraya.
- National Water Grid: Proposed by K.L. Rao and Captain Dinshaw J. Dastur in the 1970s and 1980s; it evolved into the River Interlinking Project by the Ministry of Water Resources.
- National Water Development Agency: Established in 1982 to study and implement the National Perspective Plan, identifying 30 river links (14 Himalayan, 16 Peninsular).
- Claims: The interlinking is expected to mitigate floods, alleviate droughts, boost rural incomes, and address agricultural water distress.
Environmental and Ecological Concerns:
- Flawed Concept: The project assumes “surplus water” in rivers, ignoring their ecological roles.
- Eco-services Ignored: Free-flowing rivers provide essential eco-services like:
- Flushing silt to coastal waters for delta formation.
- Recharging groundwater and sustaining biodiversity.
- Supporting land fertility and marginalised livelihoods.
- Deltaic Impact: Water diversion starves deltas, worsening saltwater intrusion and damaging ecosystems.
Case Studies:
- Indus Delta: Degraded by barrage construction, as detailed in Alice Albinia’s book Empires of the Indus.
- Narmada: Downstream regions suffering post-Sardar Sarovar dam.
- Global Failures: The channelisation of the Kissimmee River (Florida) and the destruction of the Aral Sea by Soviet irrigation projects.
India’s Water Management:
- Root Causes of Water Crisis: India’s water crisis is primarily due to poor water management, environmental mismanagement, lack of legal clarity, and corruption.
- Policy Recommendations: Effective water management policies should include local citizen involvement, better aquifer management, and innovative wastewater reuse programs.
- Lessons from Israel:
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- Drip Irrigation: Saves 25%-75% of water while reducing fertiliser and pesticide usage.
- Modern Techniques: Encourages efficient water use and protects aquifers.
- Vernacular Practices: Combining modern methods with traditional watershed practices could improve sustainability.
Ethical and Ideological Contradictions:
- Hindutva Ideology: Despite the ruling government’s emphasis on Hindu traditions revering rivers, projects like river interlinking contradict this ethos.
- Rivers at Risk: Excessive dam construction, pollution, and commodification threaten India’s rivers with existential crises.
