INTERLINKING OF RIVERS

SEMINAR REPORT

SUBMITTED BY

NIKHIL RV

S7 C2

ROLL NO 49

ABSTRACT

India is one of the few countries in the world endowed with reasonable land and water

resources. Being a monsoon country the rainfall is erratic, unevenly distributed and hence

water scarcity in some parts and floods in other parts frequently occur. In order to

produce to feed the expected population of 1650 M in 2050, there is a need to bring about

150 M Ha under irrigation from 100 M Ha at present. As more than 65% of the flow in

the rivers is not utilizable and goes to sea every year, it is necessary to interlink all the

rivers in the North and South to provide water to the deficit basins. Government has

created a National Water Development Agency (NWDA) to study and implement the

programme. The perspective plan comprises two components namely

i) Himalayan rivers Development and

ii) Peninsular rivers development.

Of this the 2nd component can be implemented since NWDA has conducted feasibility

survey, and estimates prepared to some basins. The excess water of east flowing rivers is

proposed to bring to the South and the west flowing flood water to transfer to the east to

irrigate drought affected areas. The Supreme Court has directed Government of India in

the year 2002 and again in 2012 to implement the interlinking of rivers in a time bound

programme by constituting a panel.

At the backdrop of this, the seminar is an attempt to study issues and challenges in

interlinking of rivers in India from the point of view of society at large.

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION 4

2. HISTORY OF INTERLINKING WORKS 5

2.1. British Colonial Era

2.2. Post-Independence Period

2.3. 21st Century

3. Why Interlinking Of Rivers? 7

4. INTERLINKING RIVER PROJECTS 9

5. ADVANTAGES OF ILR 14

6. COSTS 15

7. DISADVANTAGES OF ILR 16

8. ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 18

9. Case Study of Inter-Linking of River in Jalgaon District 19

10. ALTERNATIVES TO ILR 21

11. CONCLUSION 22

LIST OF FIGURES

Fig.1-The Himalayan component 10

Fig.2-Peninsular Component 12

Fig.3-Various Interlinking Projects in India 13

Fig.4-Location of Jalgaon 19

Fig.5-Situation before and after Inter-Linking the Rivers 20

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1-TIMELINE OF ILR 6

Table 2-Inter-link Projects with their estimated costs 15

1. INTRODUCTION

Water is one of the principle elements which not only governs life on earth but also

influences economic, industrial and agricultural growth of mankind. There is a general

perception that with growing human population and rising standards of living, the

available supplies of fresh water on the planet are becoming insufficient to meet the

demand. India has a monsoon climate. Except for a small coastal area in the South,

almost the entire rainfall occurs during three to four monsoon months. Thus cultivation

during non-monsoon months is irrigation dependent. A characteristic of the monsoon

climate is variability of rainfall from year to year. India has an average of one in five

below-normal rainfall years. India is basically an agricultural country, and all its

resources depend on agricultural output. In India, 55% of agricultural output is from

irrigated lands. Moreover, average farm incomes have increased from 80-100 % as a

result of irrigation, while yields have doubled compared with those achieved under the

former rain-fed conditions. Water will no longer be cheap and plentiful. It will be scarce,

expensive to develop and maintain and valuable in use.

Keeping in mind the increasing demand for water, the government of India has developed

a new National Water Policy which claims that water is a prime natural resource, a basic

need and a precious national asset. India‟s National Water Development Agency

(NWDA) has suggested the interlinking of rivers of the country. This proposal is better

known as the Inter-River Linking Project (IRL). It is a mega project that engages

money, resources, engineering, management and human understanding. It is designed to

ease water shortages in western and southern India and aims to link 30 major rivers. It

will also involve diverting the Ganges and the Brahmaputra – two of India‟s biggest

rivers. It is estimated to cost US $ 123 billion (as per 2002) and, if completed, would be

the single largest water development project anywhere in the world. It is expected that

properly planned water resource development and management could alleviate poverty,

improve the quality of life, and reduce regional disparities, better law and order situation

and manage the integrity of the natural environment. The core objectives of this seminar

are to understand the historical background of Interlinking River Projects and to discuss

issues and challenges pertaining to Interlinking River Projects.

2. HISTORY OF INTERLINKING WORKS

2.1. British Colonial Era

Sir Arthur Cotton, who pioneered the development of water resources in Southern India

from 1839 onwards, had proposed a plan for interlinking of Indian rivers for inland

navigation. A small portion of the plan was implemented but was abandoned later in

favour of railways.

2.2. Post-Independence Period

The proposal to link rivers in India was first mooted by Dr. K.L. Rao. then Irrigation

Minister Government of India in 1972. His idea was to link Ganga with Cauvery which

was about 2640 km. Thereafter Capt. Dastur in 1974 suggested the concept of Garland

Canal. Then in1982 NWDA was created to carry out the project, which included carrying

out the survey s and preparation of feasibility reports. NWDA has produced many reports

over 30 years, from 1982 through 2013. However, the projects were not pursued.

The river inter-linking idea was revived in 1999, after a new political alliance formed the

central government, but this time with a major strategic shift. The proposal was modified

to intra-basin development as opposed to inter-basin water transfer

2.3. 21st Century

By 2004, a different political alliance led by Congress Party was in power, and it

resurrected its opposition to the project concept and plans. Social activists campaigned

that the project may be disastrous in terms of cost, potential environmental and ecological

damage, water table and unseen dangers inherent with tinkering with nature. The central

government of India, from 2005 through 2013, instituted a number of committees,

rejected a number of reports, and financed a series of feasibility and impact studies, each

with changing environmental law and standards. In the year 2002, Supreme Court (SC)

refused to give any direction for implementation of Rivers Interlinking Project. However,

SC directed the Ministry of Water Resources to constitute an experts committee to pursue

the matter with the governments as no party had pleaded against the implementation of

Rivers Interlinking Project.

The various events leading to the development of Interlinking River Project in India is

shown in Table 1

Table1 : TIMELINE OF ILR

3. WHY INTERLINKING OF RIVERS?

A) Drought, floods and shortage of drinking water

India receives about 4,000 cubic kilometers of rain annually, or about 1 million gallons of

fresh water per person every year. However, the precipitation pattern in India varies

dramatically across distance and over calendar months. Much of the precipitation in

India, about 85%, is received during summer months through monsoons in the Himalayan

catchments of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) basin. The northeastern region

of the country receives heavy precipitation, in comparison with the northwestern, western

and southern parts. The uncertainty of start date of monsoons, sometimes marked by

prolonged dry spells and fluctuations in seasonal and annual rainfall is a serious problem

for the country. The nation sees cycles of drought years and flood years, with large parts

of west and south experiencing more deficits and large variations, resulting in immense

hardship particularly the poorest farmers and rural populations. Lack of irrigation water

regionally leads to crop failures and farmer suicides. Despite abundant rains during July–

September, some regions in other seasons see shortages of drinking water. Some years,

the problem temporarily becomes too much rainfall, and weeks of havoc from floods.

This excess-scarcity regional disparity and flood-drought cycles have created the need for

water resources management. Rivers inter-linking is one proposal to address that need.

B) Population and food security

Population increase in India is the other driver of need for river inter-linking. India's

population growth rate has been falling, but still continues to increase by about 10 to 15

million people every year. The resulting demand for food must be satisfied with higher

yields and better crop security, both of which require adequate irrigation of about 140

million hectares of land. Currently, just a fraction of that land is irrigated, and most

irrigation relies on monsoon. River inter-linking is claimed to be a possible means of

assured and better irrigation for more farmers, and thus better food security for a growing

population.

C) Navigation

India needs infrastructure for logistics and movement of freight. Using connected rivers

as navigation is a cleaner, low carbon footprint form of transport infrastructure,

particularly for ores and food grains.

D) Current reserves and loss in groundwater level

India currently stores only 30 days of rainfall, while developed nations strategically store

900 days worth of water demand in arid areas river basins and reservoirs. India‟s dam

reservoirs store only 200 cubic meters per person. India also relies excessively on

groundwater, which accounts for over 50 percent of irrigated area with 20 million tube

wells installed. About 15 percent of India‟s food is being produced using rapidly

depleting groundwater. The end of the era of massive expansion in groundwater use is

going to demand greater reliance on surface water supply systems. Proponents of the

project suggest India's water situation is already critical, and it needs sustainable

development and management of surface water and groundwater usage

4. INTERLINKING RIVER PROJECTS

The National perspective plan envisions about 150 million acre feet (MAF) (185 billion

cubic metres) of water storage along with building inter-links. These storages and the

interlinks will add nearly 170 million acre feet of water for beneficial uses in India,

enabling irrigation over an additional area of 35 million hectares, generation of 40,000

MW capacity hydro power, flood control and other benefits.

The National Perspective Plan comprised, starting 1980s, of two main components:

1. Himalayan Rivers Development, and

2. Peninsular Rivers Development

An intrastate component was added in 2005.

4.1. Himalayan Rivers Development

The Himalayan component would consist of a series of dams built along

the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers in India,Nepal and Bhutan for the purposes of storage.

Canals would be built to transfer surplus water from the eastern tributaries of the Ganga

to the west. This is expected to contribute to flood control measures in the Ganga and

Brahmaputra river basins. It could also provide excess water for the Farakka Barrage to

flush out the silt at the port of Kolkata.

Fourteen (14) inter-links under consideration for Himalayan component are as follows,

with feasibility study status identified:

Ghaghara–Yamuna link (Feasibility study complete)

Sarda–Yamuna link (Feasibility study complete)

Yamuna–Rajasthan link (Feasibility study complete)

Rajasthan–Sabarmati link (Feasibility study complete)

Kosi–Ghaghara link

Kosi–Mechi link

Manas–Sankosh–Tista–Ganga link

Jogighopa–Tista–Farakka link

Ganga–Damodar–Subernarekha link (Feasibility study complete)

Subernarekha–Mahanadi link (Feasibility study complete)

Farakka–Sunderbans link (Feasibility study complete)

Gandak–Ganga link (Feasibility study complete)

Chunar–Sone Barrage link (Feasibility study complete)

Sone dam–Southern tributaries of Ganga link

Fig 1 shows the various Himalayan Components.

FIG. 1) The Himalayan component

SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Rivers_Inter-link

4.2. Peninsular Component

This Scheme is divided in four major parts.

1. Interlinking of Mahanadi-Godavari-Krishna-Pennar-Cauvery,

2. Interlinking of West Flowing Rivers, North of Bombay and South of Tapi,

3. Inter-linking of Ken with Chambal and

4. Diversion of some water from West Flowing Rivers

The main part of the project would send water from the eastern part of India to the south

and west. The southern development project (Phase I) would consist of four main parts.

First, the Mahanadi, Godavari. Krishna and Kaveri rivers would all be inter-linked by

canals. Reservoirs and dams would be built along the course of these rivers. These would

be used to transfer surplus water from the Mahanadi and Godavari rivers to the south of

India. Under Phase II, some rivers that flow west to the north of Mumbai and the south

of Tapi would be inter-linked. The water would supply additional drinking water needs of

Mumbai and provide irrigation in the coastal areas of Maharashtra. In Phase 3,

the Ken and Chambal rivers would be inter-linked to serve regional water needs

of Madhya Pradeshand Uttar Pradesh. Over Phase 4, a number of west-flowing rivers in

the Western Ghats, would be inter-linked for irrigation purposes to east flowing rivers

such as Cauvery and Krishna.

The inter-links under consideration for Peninsular component are as follows, with

respective status of feasibility studies:

Almatti–Pennar Link (Feasibility study complete)(Part I)

Bedti–Varada Link (Part IV)

Damanganga–Pinjal Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part II)

Inchampalli–Nagarjunasagar Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part I)

Inchampalli–Pulichintala Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part I)

Kattalai–Vaigai–Gundar Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part IV)

Ken–Betwa Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part III)

Mahanadi–Godavari Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part I)

Nagarjunasagar–Somasila Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part I)

Netravati–Hemavati Link (Part IV)

Pamba–Anchankovil–Vaippar Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part IV)

Par–Tapi–Narmada Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part II)

Parbati–Kalisindh–Chambal Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part III)

Polavaram–Vijayawada Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part I)

Somasila–Grand Anicut Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part I)

Srisailam–Pennar Link (Feasibility study complete) (Part I)

The Peninsular Component is shown in fig 2.

Fig.2-Peninsular Component

SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Rivers_Inter-link

4.3. Intra-state inter-linking of rivers

India approved and commissioned NDWA in June 2005 to identify and complete

feasibility studies of intra-State projects that would inter-link rivers within that state. The

Governments of Nagaland, Meghalaya, Kerala, Punjab, Delhi, Sikkim, Haryana, Union

Territories of Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar islands, Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep

responded that they have no intrastate river connecting proposals. Govt. of Puducherry

proposed Pennaiyar – Sankarabarani link (even though it is not an intrastate project). The

States Government of Bihar proposed 6 inter-linking projects, Maharashtra 20 projects,

Gujarat 1 project, Orissa 3 projects, Rajasthan 2 projects, Jharkhand 3 projects and Tamil

Nadu proposed 1 inter-linking proposal between rivers inside their respective

territories. Since 2005, NDWA completed feasibility studies on the projects, found 1

project infeasible, 20 projects as feasible, 1 project was withdrawn by Government of

Maharashtra, and others are still under study

Various Interlinking Projects in India are shown in fig 3

Fig 3- Various Interlinking Projects in India

SOURCE: NATIONAL WATER DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

5. ADVANTAGES OF ILR

• Create the potential to increase agricultural production by an additional 100 per cent

over the next five years;

• Avoid the losses of the type that occurred in 2002 to the extent of $550 million by the

loss of crops because of extreme draught or flood condition;

• Save $ 565215000 a year in foreign exchange by avoiding importing oil;

• Unify the country by involving every Panchayat as a share holder and implement

agency;

• Provide for enhancing the security of the country by an additional waterline of defense;

• Provide employment to the 10 lakh people for the next 10 years;

• Eradicate the flooding problems which recur in the north-east and the north every year;

• Solve the water crisis situation by providing alternative, perennial water resources;

• The large canals linking the rivers are also expected to facilitate inland navigation too;

• Increasing food production from about 200m tones a year to 500m;

• Boost the annual average income of farmers, from the present $40 per acre of land to

over $500.

6. COSTS

The rivers inter-linking feasibility reports completed by 2013, suggest the following

investment needs and potential economic impact

Interlinking Projects with their length, estimated costs in the year 2013,new irrigation

capacity added , potential electricity generation and drinking & industrial water added is

shown in Table 2.

Table 2-Inter-link Projects with their estimated costs

SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Rivers_Inter-link

7. DISADVANTAGES OF ILR

• Environmental costs (deforestation, soil- erosion, etc.)

• Rehabilitation: not an easy task

• Social unrest/Psychological damage due to forced resettlement of local people (for

example, Sardar Sarovar

Project)

• Political effects: strained relationship with neighbors (Pakistan, Bangladesh)

Inter-River Linking Project involves multifaceted issues and challenges related to

economic, ecological, and social costs. On this note, Iyer (2003) very sharply states that

“We have had great difficulty in completing even a single project successfully and we

want to embark on thirty massive projects at the same time.”

IRL project has caused much anger and protest in our neighbouring nation, Bangladesh.

It is grappled with fear that diversion of water from the Brahmaputra and the Ganges,

which provide 85% of the country‟s fresh water flow in the dry season, would result into

an ecological disaster.

Indian National Water Development Agency plans to dig hundreds of reservoirs and

more than 600 canals. This may trigger an alarm among environmentalists to raise their

voice against this plan. Environmentalists are quite concerned about the ecological

impact of the project of such huge magnitude. Shiva (2003) very aptly remarked that the

water flowing into the sea is not waste; it is a crucial link in the water cycle. With the link

broken, the ecological balance of land and oceans, freshwater and sea water, also gets

disrupted Shiva considered ILR violence to nature: “Violence is not intrinsic to the use of

river waters for human needs. It is a particular characteristic of gigantic river valley

projects which work against, and not with, the logic of the river.”

As this project is of massive estimated cost, a long term planning and a sound financial

simulation are required to meet the standard of due diligence for such proposals. The

huge expenditure may likely generate fiscal problems that are difficult to handle. The

maintenance cost and physical position of the dams, canals, tunnels, and captive electric

power generation will also involve huge financial burdens. This certainly requires

financial assistance from the private sector, as well as global capital agencies.

Mobilization of global capital may ultimately entail the risk of destroying social welfare

measures.

The rehabilitation of project-affected people in water infrastructure projects will also

pose a burning question before the concerned authorities. The construction of reservoirs

and river linking canals in the peninsular component alone expect to displace more than

583,000 people and submerge large areas of forest, agriculture and non-agriculture land.

Transfer of water is bound to be unacceptable as no state is likely to transfer water to

another foregoing possible future use of such water. Domestic and regional geo-politics

play a pivotal role on the discussions on ILR. As of now, there is no mechanism as of

now to deal with matters concerning inter-basin transfers. There are also important

institutional and legal issues to be sorted out. As per the latest information disclosed in

the Indian Parliament, Union Minster of Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources

informed the house that NWDA has spent Rs 350.5 crores on various Inter-River Linking

Project (IRL) studies up to February 2012 and Water Resource Ministry had not received

certified copy of guidelines, as issued by the Hon‟ble Supreme Court of India.

Some of the ILR (inter-linking of rivers) schemes have international implications, with a

possible impact on countries like Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Each of the 30 schemes

of the ILR is supposed to get through several statutory, legal and procedural steps. None

of the schemes have gone through any of it. The Union ministry of environment and

forests has already said no to the project. No state is ready to give water to another state.

In India„s constitution, water is essentially a state subject. Several states including Kerala,

Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Sikkim have already opposed ILR projects. There will be

several environmental impacts of ILR including submergence of land and forests,

destruction of rivers, aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, downstream impacts, destruction

of fisheries, salinity ingress, pollution concentration, destruction of groundwater recharge

and increased methane emission from reservoirs, among others. Unfortunately there is no

comprehensive assessment of all such possible impacts for a single link in any credible

way.

8. ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Some activists and scholars have, between 2002 and 2008, questioned the merits of

Indian rivers inter-link projects, and questioned if appropriate study of benefits and risks

to environment and ecology has been completed so far. Bandyopadhyay et al. claim there

are knowledge gaps between the claimed benefits and potential threats from environment

and ecological impact. They also question whether the inter-linking project will deliver

the benefits of flood control. Vaidyanathan claimed, in 2003, that there are uncertainty

and unknowns about operations, how much water will be shifted and when, whether this

may cause waterlogging, salinization and the resulting desertification in the command

areas of these projects. Other scholars have asked whether there are other technologies to

address the cycle of droughts and flood havocs, with less uncertainty about potential

environmental and ecological impact.

9. CASE STUDY OF INTERLINKING OF RIVER IN JALGOAN DISTRICT

Jalgaon District: Brief History

· Jalgaon district is located in the north-west region of the state of Maharashtra (see fig

4).

· It is bounded by Satpuda mountain ranges in the north, Ajanta mountain ranges in the

south.

· Jalgaon has got pretty diverse climate. It is exceptionally hot & dry during summer with

temperature reaching as high as 45 degrees Celsius.

· The principal natural feature is the Tapti River- Tapti flows westward from headwaters

in eastern Maharashtra to empty into the Arabian Sea.

· The Tapti receives thirteen principal tributaries in its course through Khandesh. Tapti

flows in a deep bed which historically made in difficult to use for irrigation.

· Most of Khandesh lies south of the Tapti, & is drained by its tributaries the Boriand

Panjhra.

Fig 4-Location of Jalgaon

Source: “Interlinking of Rivers” -Sonali A. More

Situation of this region before and after interlinking of rivers can be seen from fig 5.

Fig 5 – Situation before and after Inter-Linking the Rivers

Source: “Interlinking of Rivers” -Sonali A. More

10. ALTERNATIVES TO ILR

Rainwater harvesting and conservation of water resources: Changes in

topography, soil system and runoff flow pattern in a changing climatic

environment is considered. Not only stored rain water but soil erosion is also

prevented.

Recharging ground water reservoir: Skills have to be developed for arresting rain

water where it falls and allowing it to recharge these ground water reservoirs.

Large scale utilization of ground water in deltas: practically feasible and

initiatives for bore-well development and irrigation needed with responsibility

lying .

Community participation: Approaches of reducing water consumption by the

affluent in the cities and reducing the wastage of water by the farmers in their

field can be attempted.

11. CONCLUSION

The inter-basin transfer project is to be funded mainly by the government of India,

international agencies and market borrowings. The interlinking of rivers, therefore, will

bring relief to utilize surplus water flow to water deficit regions in southern and western

India, control twin problem of flood and drought, irrigate additional areas, help to

produce additional food grain to cater to the needs of country‟s ever growing population

and generate electricity to an otherwise energy starved country. However, inter-linking of

rivers alone may not solve all the water related problems of the country. some other ways

to conserve water like rainwater harvesting, water reuse, watershed management and

regulating the optimal exploitation of underground water resources need to be developed

at a much faster rate and efficient way than what is existing today.

12 . REFERENCES

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IMPORTANCE”, JOURNAL OF INDIAN WATER RESOURCES SOCIETY, Vol. 32,

No. 3-4,July-Oct., 2012,

3. Sonali A. More. “Interlinking of Rivers”, International Journal on Arts, Management

and Humanities 3(2): 14-20(2014)

4. Jalgaon.nic.in/html/RiverlinkingDocumentration/nadijodenglish.pdf.(ACCESSED ON

15/7/2015)

5. Dharmendra MEHTA AND Naveen K. MEHTA , “ INTERLINKING OF RIVERS

IN INDIA: ISSUES & CHALLENGES”

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2015)

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9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Rivers_Inter-link.(ACCESSED on July 12, 2015)