Skip to main content

Displacement, ecological costs 'very high': India's gigantic river inter-linking projects

By Bharat Dogra* 

The Inter-Linking of Rivers (ILR) in India is one of the most gigantic water-transfer projects ever envisaged in the entire world. This involves 30 (or 29) links of 37 rivers all over the country. Its cost was officially projected at Rs. 11 lakh crore (one crore=10 million) in 2016, although this is now considered an underestimate.
This project was more or less given up in the UPA years due to its many sided criticism and its increasingly visible adverse impacts. However this was revived soon after the NDA government came to power in 2014. In an interview in 2016 Uma Bharti, the then Water Resources Minister spoke about creating 31 new rivers and completing the entire project within a span of two decades. 
More recent official pronouncements speak about the gigantic project in equally enthusiastic terms although there is more concern now about getting all the concerned state governments to agree.
To get a measure of the big issues involved, let’s take a quick look at the 30 projects. Actually it is a range of 29-32 depending on whether components of two projects are counted separately or not. There are about 16 projects involving peninsular rivers and about 14 involving Himalayan ones. The feasibility report of most of these projects has been completed and in the case of a few projects the Detailed Project Report has also been completed. In the case of others the pre-feasibility report has been prepared.
Coming to peninsular rivers, the first project involves linking of Mahanadi ( Manibhadra) and Godavari ( Dowlaiswaram) link. This involves 8 states—Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Katnataka, Odisha and Maharashtra. The second component of this project which involves linking of Mahanadi ( Bermul) and Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) also involves these same 8 states.
The second project envisages the linking of Godavari ( Inchampalli) and Krishna (Pulichintala) rivers. This involves seven states Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The third project involves the linking of Godvari ( Inchampalli) and Krishna ( Nagarjunsagar), involving the same 7 states. Then there is the link of Godavari ( Polavaram) and Krishna ( Vijaywada) involving the same states. 
Next there is the link of Krishna ( Almatti) with Pennar, involving four states Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, as also link of Krishna (Srisailam) with Pennar and link of Krishna ( Nagarjunsaar) with Pennar, involving the same states.
Next there is the link of the Pennar ( Somasila) with the Cauvery ( Grand Anicut) involving Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. There is also a link of three rivers—Cauvery ( Kattalai), Vargai and Gunder rivers, involving 4 states—Kanataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
The tenth project in the category of peninsular rivers is the widely discussed Ken-Betwa link, involving Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Then there is a link of 3 rivers Parbati, Kalisindhu and Chambal, affecting Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The second component of this project also involves 3 rivers—Parbati, Kuno and Sindh, involving Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The Par-Tapi-Narmada Project involves Gujarat and Maharashtra. The Damanganga-Pinjal project also involves these two states. The Bedti-Varada link involves Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The Netravati-Hemvati link involves Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Pamba-Achkankovil-Vaippar link involves Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Coming now to links of Himalayan rivers, the first project is M-S-T-G link or the link of 4 rivers Manas, Sankosh, Tista and Ganga, involving Bhutan and 3 states of India -- Assam, W.Bengal and Bihar. Secondly, there is the Kosi-Ghaghra link involving Nepal with two states of India Bihar and UP. 
The involvement of Nepal with these two states is also there in the Gandak-Ganga link and the Ghaghra Yamuna link while the Yamuna-Sarda link involves Bihar, UP, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Haryana. Next there is the Rajasthan-Sabarmati link. Then there is the Chunar-Sone Barrage Link ( or Ganga-Sone Link) involving UP and Bihar, followed by Sone Dam link (Southern tributaries of Ganga link, Sone and Badua), involving Bihar and Jharkhand.
The next link is the Ganga ( Farakka)-Damodar-Subarnarekha link, involving W.Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand. There is also a planned link of Subarnarekha and Mahanadi involving W.Bengal and Odisha. The Kosi-Mechi link involves Nepal and 2 states of India Bihar and W.Bengal. Finally there is the Ganga-Farakka Sunderbans link or Ganga-Ichamati link in W.Bengal.
So far the two projects which have been the most widely discussed include the Par-Tapi-Narmada link and the Ken-Betwa link. The first was so widely opposed, particularly by tribal communities threatened with displacement and other adverse impacts, that its implementation had to be suspended in this election year in Gujarat. The Ken-Betwa link project has already become one of the most highly criticized projects of this kind, for reasons ranging from it basic non-viability due to lack of surplus water in Ken river and the the loss of over 2.3 million trees.
Taken as a whole, displacement and ecological costs are likely to be very high for this gigantic project. Displacement has to be seen in the context of not just dams but also a vast distance of canals. Water transfer over vast areas can also involve negotiating heights calling for very heavy energy costs of lifting water.
As in the case of several rivers not one but several links are being planned, the overall impact on river system has to be seen which cannot be captured in any single project report. As for the adverse impacts on the entire river system of the entire gigantic project in its totality, this is not being considered by the government at all despite its great importance.
Given the many imponderables, there are possibilities of the entire river system getting badly messed up by years of this work like never before with even escape routes blocked. Therefore, before the limited resources for development of water resources are pledged to an enormous extent in this extremely costly project, it is time to a wider consultation with all states, all stakeholders and independent experts, keeping the mind entirely open to the possibility of dropping this entire project.
The entire concept of forcing most of our rivers to find new paths and meeting points is a flawed one, and our limited funds would find a much better and safer investment in small projects which combine water conservation, minor irrigation, renewable energy and improved provision of drinking water.
Even by the present estimates of linking rivers project costs (which are likely to increase), these can fund over 20 such small projects in ALL villages of India.
---
*Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. Recent books include ‘Planet in Peril', ‘Man over Machine' and ‘A Day in 2071’

Comments

TRENDING

Reducing emission? India among top nations whose coal as energy source going up

By NS Venkataraman*  The State of the Global Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that the year 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global temperature of 1.4 degree celsius above pre-industrial 1850-1900 base line.

Lockdown 'total failure' of science more than of politics: Open letter on 4th anniversary

Counterview Desk  In an open letter to fellow academicians, scientists and medical practitioners in India, marking the fourth anniversary of India's lockdown (25 March 2024), the Managing Committee* of the Universal Health Organisation (UHO) has insisted on the need to "repair two years of immense damage to science".

Insider plot to kill Deendayal Upadhyay? What RSS pracharak Balraj Madhok said

By Shamsul Islam*  Balraj Madhok's died on May 2, 2016 ending an era of old guards of Hindutva politics. A senior RSS pracharak till his death was paid handsome tributes by the RSS leaders including PM Modi, himself a senior pracharak, for being a "stalwart leader of Jan Sangh. Balraj Madhok ji's ideological commitment was strong and clarity of thought immense. He was selflessly devoted to the nation and society. I had the good fortune of interacting with Balraj Madhok ji on many occasions". The RSS also issued a formal condolence message signed by the Supremo Mohan Bhagwat on behalf of all swayamsevaks, referring to his contribution of commitment to nation and society. He was a leading RSS pracharak on whom his organization relied for initiating prominent Hindutva projects. But today nobody in the RSS-BJP top hierarchy remembers/talks about Madhok as he was an insider chronicler of the immense degeneration which was spreading as an epidemic in the high echelons of th

Magnetic, stunning, Protima Bedi 'exposed' malice of sexual repression in society

By Harsh Thakor*  Protima Bedi was born to a baniya businessman and a Bengali mother as Protima Gupta in Delhi in 1949. Her father was a small-time trader, who was thrown out of his family for marrying a dark Bengali women. The theme of her early life was to rebel against traditional bondage. It was extraordinary how Protima underwent a metamorphosis from a conventional convent-educated girl into a freak. On October 12th was her 75th birthday; earlier this year, on August 18th it was her 25th death anniversary.

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

'Wrong direction': Paris NGO regrets MNC ArcelorMittal still using coal-based steel

By Rajiv Shah  A new report by Paris-based non-governmental research and campaigning organization, Reclaim Finance, has blamed the MNC ArcelorMittal – formed in 2006 following the takeover and merger of the western European steel maker Arcelor (Spain, France, and Luxembourg) by Indian-owned Mittal Steel – for using use “climate destructive” metallurgical coal for its projects in India.

'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence

Counterview Desk Reacting to a Counterview  story , "Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'" (January 26, 2016), an avid reader has forwarded  reaction  in the form of a  link , which carries the article "Did Atlee say Gandhi had minimal role in Independence? #FactCheck", published in the site satyagrahis.in. The satyagraha.in article seeks to debunk the view, reported in the Counterview story, taken by retired army officer GD Bakshi in his book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai”, which claims that Gandhiji had a minimal role to play in India's freedom struggle, and that it was Netaji who played the crucial role. We reproduce the satyagraha.in article here. Text: Nowadays it is said by many MK Gandhi critics that Clement Atlee made a statement in which he said Gandhi has ‘minimal’ role in India's independence and gave credit to naval mutinies and with this statement, they concluded the whole freedom struggle.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Attack on foreign students: Gujarat varsity's reputation, ranking at stake, say academics

Counterview Desk  Expressing anguish over the attack on international students in Gujarat University hostels, a letter claimed to have been signed by 122 current and former academics has asked the Gujarat Vice Chancellor, Dr Neerja Gupta, to provide emotional support to the attacked students and to ensure their physical safety.  

As double engine takes backseat in Odisha, BJP is pitted against 'firmly rooted' BJD

By Sudhansu R Das  BJP has got 25 years to build its party base in Odisha. After 25 years, it felt helpless and insecure to fight elections on its own strength. The party was almost crazy to have an alliance with the ruling BJD in Odisha.  Looking for alliance at the time of election shows that the party has not groomed its grassroots level workers into potential leaders.  The state BJP leaders woke up and convinced the Central leaders that they are capable of going solo; the alliance was stillborn. The question is can BJP defeat BJD which is firmly rooted in Odisha after launching piles of populist programs in the state.