Interlinking of Rivers

ABSTRACT

At present, India suffers a lot due to inequality in water access

across the diverse eco-regions. To satisfy this, interlinking major rivers of country

seems to appeal to the popular imagination. The project promises to be most

massive and most controversial infrastructure, development that might ever be

undertaken. Though the cost of implementation is high, this is only a option

available to solve water crisis with reasonable returns.

Interlinking of major rivers not only break India’s water

problem but also provide cheap surface transport throughout the year as

navigational canals, hydropower generation, flood control, irrigation and drinking

water.

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 Interlinking of Rivers

INTRODUCTION

Our present issue is the preparation of the scheme for

interlinking of rivers with a view to avoid loss of life, property and agriculture

produced due to floods and droughts in different parts of the country. Although

75% of the earth’s surface is covered with water, only a minuscule Proportion of it

is available for human needs as fresh water. With so little water available and most

of it polluted & depleted, disputes over the use of fresh water are becoming very

common.

Due to uncertain and inequitable rains we have to face

scarcity of water in dry seasons. To reduce this scarcity and also to bring most of

the irrigable land under cultivation “Interlinking of Rivers” appears a way out.

The National river interlinking plan has offered as a concrete

solution to water scarcity, primarily for three claims, which it makes:—

i) First, interlinking would lead to a permanent drought proofing of the country

by raising the irrigation potential to equal the current net sown area of about

150 million hectares.

ii) Second, it would mitigate the annual floods in Ganga and Brahmaputra.

iii) Third, it would add 34,000 MW of hydropower to the national pool.

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NEED OF PROJECT

The water availability even for drinking purposes becomes

critical, particularly in summer months as the rivers dry up and ground water

recedes. Regional variations in rainfall lead to situations when some parts of the

country do not have enough water even for raising a single crop. On the other hand

excess rainfall occurring in some parts of the country creates havoc due to floods.

The population of India, which is around 1000 million at present, is expected to

increase to 1500 to 1800 million in year 2050 and that would require about 450

million tones of food grains. For meeting this requirement, it would be necessary

to increase irrigation potential that could be created through conventional sources

has been assessed to be about 140 million hectares.

One of the most effective ways to increase irrigation potential

for increasing the food grain production, mitigate floods and droughts and reduce

regional imbalance in the availability of water is the interlinking of rivers to

transfer water from the surplus rivers to deficient areas. By interlinking of rivers

regional imbalances could be reduced significantly and lot of benefits by the way

of additional irrigation, domestic and industrial water supply, hydro power

generation, navigational facilities etc. would accrue.

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 Interlinking of Rivers

SOURCES FOR OBTAINING WATER

•1 Construction of all the types of dams wherever they are technically feasible

and where there are no cheaper alternatives available.

•2 Effective and Efficient use of available water.

•3 Treatment and recycling of Water used.

•4 Interlinking of river by means of canals.

Every year normally we get 4000 B.C.M. water and by

improper utilization of available water resources 1900 B.C.M. water is

mixed with sea without being used. By completing this project 200 B.C.M.

water can be well secured

River interlinking by means of canals is the project which

will surely help in development of India. India’s population is over 100

crores at present, this will increase to 150-180 crores in 2050, and then the

need of food grain and water will be tremendous than present, so it is

necessary to develop projects which will help to increase the food grain and

remain self sufficient.

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 Interlinking of Rivers

HISTORY OF THE PROJECT

Interlinking of Rivers as a solution for drought and flood is

not a new proposal. It was Sir Arthur Cotton who had originally proposed the

networking of rivers more than a century ago, and Dr. K.L. Rao, the Minister of

Power and Irrigation in the Cabinet of Smt. Indira Gandhi revived this proposal in

1972. Both were no doubt eminent engineers. Sir Cotton’s prime concern was for

inland navigational network

And Dr. Rao’s concern was for irrigation and power. Neither

could perceive that far wider issues were involved. in 1970 when India was facing

acute shortage of food grain production and drought management, this lead to the

formation of national perspective plan for inter basin transfer of water by the

union ministry of irrigation .

K. L. Rao’s proposal

Mr. Rao’s presented his plan to link the Ganga and Cauvery.

In 1974, this proposal had 2640 km long Ganga Cauvery link as its main

component involved large scale pumping over a head of 550 m the power

requirement for lifting the water was huge estimated to be 5000 to 7000 Mw, for

irrigating additional area of 4 million hectares only. The scheme was also have not

having any flood control benefit. Dr.rao’s had estimated this proposal to cost about

Rs. 12500 crores, which at 2002 price level comes to about Rs. 150000 crores.

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GOVERNMENT PLAN FOR RIVER

INTERLINKING

The Government prepared its own plan in 1980 and in 1982

the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) was set up to carry out detailed

studies. It envisioned a 30 year plan but following the Supreme Court directive,

the Task Force has published a time table which lists 2016 as the date for

completion. No explanation has been provided how this is to be managed. Such a

project should have been preceded by a study of:

i) Financial Viability

ii) Technological Capability

iii) Ecological Sustainability

iv) detailed Environmental Impact Assessment.

NATIONAL WATER DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (1982)

The Govt. of India was set up the N.W.D.A. in July 1982 as an

Autonomous Society under Societies Registration Act , 1860, under Ministry of

Water Resources to carry out water balance and other studies on a scientific and

realistic basis to prepare feasibility reports for inter basin water transfer link

schemes . The N.W.D.A. proposed two component stages -

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 Interlinking of Rivers

1. Himalayan Component-

N.W.D.A. has completed the pre- feasibility studies of 14 links in the

Himalayan Component. They are -

1. Manas - Sankosh- Tista Ganga link

2. Jogighopa - Tista- Farakka link

3. Ganga- Damodar - Subernarekha link

4. Subernarekha - Mahanadi link

5. Farakka - Sunderbans link

6. Gandak -Ganga link

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 Interlinking of Rivers

7. Ghaghara - Yamuna link

8. Sarda - Yamuna link

9. Yamuna - Rajasthan link

10. Rajasthan - Sabarmati link

11. Chunar - Sone Barrage link

12. Sone dam - Southern tributaries of Ganga link

13. Kosi - Ghaghara link and

14. Kosi -Mechi link

2. Peninsular Component :

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 Interlinking of Rivers

N.W.D.A. studied deeply the water balance studies of various major

rivers pre -feasibility studies for 16 probable links where carries out, out of

which 7 have also been completed. The links are -

1. Mahanadi - Godavari link

2. Inchampalli -Nagarjunasagar link

3. Inchampalli Low Dam - Nagarjunasagar Tail Pond link

4. Polavaram - Vijayavada link

5. Almatti - Pennar link

6. Shrisailam - Pennar link

7. Nagarjunasagar - Somasila link

8. Somasila - Grand Anicut link

9. Kattalai - Vaigai - Gundar link

10. Pamba - Achamkovil - Vaippar link

11. Bedti - Varada link

12. Netravati - Hemavati link

13. Damanganga - Pinjal link

14. Par - Tapi - Narmada link

15. Ken - Betwa link

16. Parbati - Kalisindh - Chambal link

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SUCCESSFUL INTERLINKING PROJECTS

IN THE WORLD

Some of the successful projects of interlinking of rivers have

been mentioned as below:

a) Lesotho Highland Water Project, Africa : It is the largest interbasin

and transboundry water project in Saharan Africa. It has 5 phases with

series of dams, tunnels and power stations. Phase 1A, 1B are completed

with construction of dams nearing completion. It has a capacity of

diverting 70 m3/s

b) State Water Project, California: The project has 22 dams and

reservoirs, 444 mile aqueduct pumps from Oroville dam over Tehachapi

mountain to California. The project utilises 30% water for irrigation in

San Joaquin valley & 70% for residences and industries in California.

c) Wanjiazhai Water Transfer Project, China : It is located in North

China province. The project shall benefit 40% of China’s land, 45% of

population which have annual deficit of 40BCM. It has 5 pumping

stations and 4 aqueducts.

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BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT

1. Hydropower Generation:

The biggest bonus of this project is the production of

electricity. This project will add 34000MW of hydroelectricity. The cost of

production of hydroelectricity is Rs. 18 to 20 crores per generation of MW. To

produce 34000MW of electricity, Rs. 6.8 lakh crores of money is required. This

means all this is bonus ones the project (costing Rs. 5.6 lakhs crores) is ready.

2. Irrigation:

This project has a potential to irrigate another 3.5

crores hectare-meter. Irrigation has general norms for minor irrigation at

Rs.30000 per hectare.

3. Human Resources :

India will surpassed China in 2035 as far as population

is concerned. If we look at our awesome population from resource point of view,

it will be the biggest advantage. And this human resource can be very well

utilized in project like river linking.

4. Employment :

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of India is Rs. 22 lakhs

crores. There are 64% labour force in agriculture, 72% people depend on

agriculture, but only 1% student go to this important sector as far as higher

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 Interlinking of Rivers

education is concerned. There is no unemployment in agriculture sector but if we

properly rearrange on our resources we can definitely go ahead of other countries

with the help of this mega project.

5. Navigational facilities.

6. Famine and Drought-Prone Area Development.

7. Ground water level increases.

8. Development of industries.

9. Desert areas will be irrigated.

10.Flood protection and managements.

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DEMERITS OF RIVER INTERLINKING AND IT'S SOLUTIONS.

1) Very expensive project:

For this World Bank will give more than 50% funds. Projects should be planned as

per demand and priority.

2) Resettlement due to construction:

Conflicts between people and construction should not be raised, and for this

government should decide proper plan for resettlement before construction.

3) Huge land under construction

As per possible condition, the people whose land is under construction should be

resettled by equal amount of land.

4) Conflicts between states:

Proper negotiation and organization should be organized by concern departments,

in this way various conflicts can be settled.

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CONCLUSION

Though India being a tropical country, having very good

rainfall, with number of major reservoirs, yet searching for water in summer is not

stopped. This may be due to the poor water management policies. Linking of

rivers may solve the above mentioned problems. Such projects will be successful

when they are technically feasible without political interference. With interlinking

of rivers, India may flourish in water resource development, and thus this can be a

very important technological prospect in this new millennium.

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REFERENCES

1. “National Water Policy”, published by Government of India, Sept. 1987

2. Journal of Indian Water Works Association ( IWWA) Oct.-Dec. 2003.

3. Dr.K.L.Rao’s India’s Water Wealth-Its Assessment Uses &

Projections”-Orient Longman Publications1975.

4. http://taskforce on interlinking of rivers

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