(Some of the contents in this article are based on the information provided by S. KALYANARAMAN, Former Senior Executive, Asian Development Bank in “The Hindu”)

The inter-linking of rivers would be a phenomenal project to unite all the people of the country and give a developmental impetus of unprecedented magnitude. This would lead to following benefits:

1.   Relief to the drought-prone areas by making available water from surplus basin to water-shortage areas particularly in the northwest, western and southern Bharat by providing alternative, perennial water resources. Drought occurs in over 80 per cent of the country's land area even if there is a shortfall in rains of only 25 per cent from the national annual average of 554 mm (for the monsoon period, June-July). This highlights the need for evolving a national and panchayat-level policies to develop an integrated ‘water mission' with a sense of urgency. An efficient water storage and equitable distribution facilities is the need of the hour in the country and this can be met by inter-linking the rivers

2.   It would prove to be an effective flood-control measure as the flood recur in North and North-East (Brahmaputra and Mahanadi rivers) and help water harvesting

3.   This would increase agricultural production by an additional 100 per cent in the next 5 years. We can collect a betterment tax from those cultivable landowners who get irrigation water out of this project. 

4.   It would avoid the losses of crops as happened during 2002 to the extent of Rs. 25,000 crores due to drought conditions and flooding in many parts of the country.

5.   It would lead to a cost-effective alternative navigation along the coastal line. The total estimated km of river links is estimated to exceed 5,000 and together with a matrix of canal systems and the long coastline of 7517 km. There is a potential to create 40,000 km of inland waterways. One can implement the idea of National Water way and thereby save Rs. 3,000 crores a year in foreign exchange by avoiding importing oil. This waterway would complement the railway and road networks. Here again, a toll can be collected form the transporters who use this waterway.

6.   Inter-linking the rivers would also increase our security as this would serve as an additional water-line of defense (along the western and northwestern borders with the river Sarasvati, an extension of the Rajasthan canal beyond Jaisalmer up to Gujarat and along the northern and north-eastern borders with the linking of the Brahmapurtra and the Ganga).

7.  It would strengthen the integrity of the country, as this project has to involve every panchayat as a shareholder. One should not ignore this subtle but a very important contribution of this kind of project in unifying the country.

8.   A populous country like ours should not get bogged down by the huge funding requirements rather we should utilize our huge human resource to our advantage in completing this kind of labour-intensive and not-so technology intensive projects. This way, we can provide employment to a large number of youth (to about 10 lakh people for the next 10 years)

If there are so many benefits out of this project, what stops us from implementing it? Or what is touted as the problems or objections? There is a proposal drafted by the late K.L. Rao for a Ganga-Cauvery link. The NWDA was set up in 1982. Its only purpose was to transfer water from surplus river basins to deficit areas. Apart from the creation of a very long waterway many minor irrigation works and storage facilities will be constructed in all the States as part of the plan since the links cover virtually all States.

The two major objections to Rao’s proposal are the inadequate water available in the Ganga and the problem of negotiating the Vindhya Mountains requiring about 90,000 MW electric power or a complex network of tunnels. The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has proposed answers to both these objections. There were spelt out as follows. Water for the Ganga will be found from the Brahmaputra from Manas in Arunachal Pradesh. The Vindhya mountains will be negotiated not by lifting up water but by circum-navigating the mountains - north of the mountains, the flow of the link between the Ganga and the Mahanadi will be from west/northeast to southeast (by gravity) and south of the mountains, the flow of the link between the Mahanadi and the Godavari will be from east to southwest/south (by gravity).

Even if the Ganga-Cauvery link is not taken up, to surmount the water scarcity anticipated in 2025, at least the southern rivers should be interlinked on a priority basis linking Mahanadhi to Cauvery. This major link south of Vindhyas would connect Mahanadhi, Narmada, Godhavari, Krishna, Pennar, Palar, Vaigai, and Cauvery. This would add additional 30,000 hectares for agriculture apart from providing livelihood by providing employment to lakhs of people. This would also help in generating 2000 MW electricity and majority of it would provide power to Andhra Pradesh as major rivers (Godhavari, Krishna and Pennar) flow in AP.  The linking of southern rivers would save 8000 tmc of water out of 17,000 tmc of water that currently flows into sea. By saving 8000 tmc of water in South India, would provide additional 200 tmc of water to Tamil Nadu. The Cauvery delta and Chennai can easily tackle the water scarcity through this additional 200 tmc of water. 

There is also a major hurdle, which is arriving at the consensus amongst all the States. For instance Orissa has objections to link Mahanadhi with other rivers. Kerala has objections to turn the direction of rivers flowing towards the west in order to link them with other Southern rivers. The suggestion of Karnataka Chief Minister Mr. S.M. Krishna calling for a meeting of Southern Chief Ministers is a welcoming suggestion.

Also, the States now have the control over rivers and dams across the rivers. After linking the rivers, there is a possibility that the States would not allow the rivers to flow naturally rather would try to arrest them in dams. This would defeat the purpose of linking them.  Before we step into linking the rivers, we must pass a legislation and nationalize all the rivers and dams in the country. The change in governments and the other political interferences have to be guarded against in implementing this national project within the agreed time frame, preferably within a decade. The land acquisition in nine States for canals construction for linking of rivers is another hurdle. This would lead to long litigations. In order to pre-empt all these hurdles, suitable legislations to be passed as the first step.  As a second step, a pragmatic and foolproof project costing and planning to be completed. And the project to be handed over to an independent body constituted for this purpose arming with legal powers for land acquisitions, resource mobilization, and for taking help from the States.  As a third step, this independent body should launch plans for mobilizing the needed resource. As a precautionary measure, the Comptroller and Auditor General of the country be armed with the powers to oversee the financial functioning of this body and take corrective actions then and there. This would avoid any corruption in this mega project. Also, a Special Court is constituted to clear all the cases that come in the way of implementing this project.       

It is the sincere hope of all the citizens that the Centre and State Governments would consolidate their actions and without bothering about the hassles implement this mega project soon. It is to be kept in mind that the initial proposal was drafted by the then Water Resource Minister K.L. Rao in 1972. The plan outlay was around 12,500 crores in 1972, which inflated close to 30,000 crores in the early 1990’s. There is no need to mention that it has swollen to a whopping amount in 2002. Anymore delay would only make the resource mobilization that much tougher. A collective action is needed to successfully complete this mega project which no doubt would give a new look to India as a Nation.

No doubt that this project when completed would bring a lot of prosperity to the nation and would prove to be a vital factor for our economic growth. Both our agricultural and industrial growth would increase due to this efficient water management. There can not be a precious resource for a country than water. And for an agricultural country like ours, there is no need to elaborate the role that an efficient water management can play in giving impetus to our economy. Most of the water disputes amongst the States would become redundant or would have been addressed once this project is completed. Every citizen in the country should participate in this huge National endeavor in whatever way we can.  There is a dire need for a national perspective at this juncture. Any slack in it would prove costly for our Nation.
(concludes)