Interlinking the Rivers and National Water Policy

8/13/2019 Interlinking the Rivers and National Water Policy

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INTERLINKING THE RIVERS

Problems in full utilization of water resources:

A large portion of water resources is lost through run-off (floods) and evaporation losses.

Over-irrigation leads to the deterioration of soils. Results in the salinity and alkalinity of

the water.

Pollution of water by industries. (industries uses less water than agriculture)

Flooding causes daage to life and property in one-eight area of the country! which has

been declared as flood-prone.

How to increase water availabilit!

"ater storage above ground through das and diversion through weirs are conventional

eans

Artificial recharge and rainwater harvesting

#nterlinking the rivers

Nee" for interlin#in$ t%e rivers:

Although #ndia has vast surface water resources! the sae are very unevenly distributed

over tie and space. "hile soe basins have vast catchent and carry enorous $uantity of

water! others are sall and have coparatively sall $uantity of water. %ost of the &ialayan

rivers are large and originate in the snow covered high altitude areas of the &ialayan ranges.As such they carry sufficient water throughout the year and are called perennial rivers. 'oe

rivers carry water only in rainy season and are called peninsular rivers. hey carry no or very

little water. %ost of the water fro the &ialayan river syste (such as #ndus! anga and

*rahaputra river syste) is wasted in the for of flood. #n contrast ost of the rivers have

insufficient flow of water during the dry season and acute scarcity of water is felt in alost all

parts of country. &ence interlinking river through inter-basin linkages or through national grid is

proposed.

he concept of river interlinking is not new because! during the tenure of %ughal the

+auna and Agra ,anal was constructed. hrough these canals the water fro &ialaya is

ade available to Punab! Raasthan and ttar Pradesh.

Histor of interlin#in$ t%e rivers:


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/uring the *ritish ra! an 0ngineer 'ir Arthur ,otton had sought to link the anga and

the ,auvery to iprove connectivity for navigation purposes but due to the increasedrailway connectivity aong the areas! the idea w as shelved.

# n 1234! the 5ational "ater /evelopent Agency (5"/A ) was fored as an

autonoous body entrusted with the task to carry out the water balance and feasibilitystudies of the river linking progra.

# n Feb 4614! 'upree ,ourt! gave its go-ahead to the interlinking of rivers and asked the

governent to ensure that the proect is ipleented e7peditiously.

&im of interlin#in$ t%e rivers:

o reduce the disparities in different river basins by transferring water for 8surplus9

eastern region to 8deficit9 western region of the country through the creation of link canals!

reservoirs and large das.

&"vanta$e:

#rrigation:

;ands which are not irrigated and unusable for agriculture becoes fertile.

'trengthen food security and enhance food production.

Flood prevention

eneration of electricity (hydro power)

5avigation:

5ewly created network of canals opens up new routes and ways and routes of

water navigation! which is generally ore efficient and cheaper copared to road

transport.

#n turn helps our econoy.

Issues in interlin#in$ t%e rivers:

0nvironental ipact:

he proect envisages construction of over 36 das. he environental ipact(which is likely to be huge) is totally unknown. ,onstruction of das is likely to

suberge large tracts of forest land and displace large nuber of people. %any

other environental probles like soil erosion are related to das.


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he interlinking proect is likely to change the flow in the downstrea parts of the

river! underine the rich fishing econoy in the plains and estuaries and daage

angrove forests which are vital for the stability of the coastal ecosyste.

0vidence fro the forer 'oviet nion reveals how diversion of two rivers for

irrigation led to the death of the Aral 'ea with diverse ipact on the a$uatic life

and fishing counities.

%eteorologists have speculated that the sudden greening of a desert area like

Raasthan through diversification of river water could have une7pected cooling

and heating effects. his could ipact the traditional course of the north-east

onsoon! which coes up fro the *ay of *engal and provides winter rain to

eastern #ndia

'ocial #pact:

;arge aount of land needs to be ac$uired for construction of canals.

Our record in providing copensation and rehabilitation to people affected by

large public proects is e7treely poor.

5o assessent of the cost of rehabilitation of people affected by such proects is

known.

&lternative to interlin#in$ t%e rivers:

/esalination of water is becoing ine7pensive and practical. ,ost of treating sea water is

estiated to be for seawater and for seawater. hese costs are estiated

to fall further with developent of better technology. %any countries (notably 'audi

Arabia) already depend on this solution.

;arge scale utili@ation of ground water in deltas

,ounity participation:

Approaches of reducing water consuption by the affluent in the cities and

reducing the wastage of water by the farers in their field can be attepted.

"e are currently wasting huge aount of water through poor efficiency in

irrigation. *etter water anageent can bring down the deand for water.


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T%e Gan$a'(auver Lin# (anal:


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Proposed by /r. . ;. Rao

Ai: to reduce the ipact of floods in anga basin and supply water to central and

eastern parts of the country which suffer fro chronic proble of water supply.

Passes through the basins of the 'on! the 5arada! the api! the odavari! the rishna!the Pennar rivers and oins ,auvery.

;ength of the canal: 4BC6k

Sl No) *rom To Name of Reservoir for stora$e

1. anga 'on Rihand Reservoir

4. 'on 5arada *argi Reservoir

> 5arada "ainganga

C "ainganga odavari +ellapalli Reservoir

B odavari rishna 'risaila Reservoir D rishna Penna 'oasila Reservoir

3 Penna ,auvery %ettur Reservoir

&"vanta$e:

&elps to reduce floods in the 5orth #ndia and water shortage in the 'outh #ndia.

&elps to fight against desertification particularly in 'outhern #ndia

Issues:

ransfer of water for river 'on to river 5arada because (river son is about C6 above

the sea level where as river 5arada is about C?6 above the sea level)

echnology

Power

,ost (techno E econoic feasibility)

Availability of water

At present about D6!666 cuecs of surplus water is available at Farakka barriage.

#n future *angladesh ay file an obection that this proect is violating the eesta

water agreeent! 12D4.

'ource of river anga and its tributaries lies in ibetan region and it run through 5epal.

#n future 5epal ay construct das across these rivers.

,auvery water dispute between arnataka! ail 5adu and Pondicherry.

*irst river lin#in$ +ro,ect of t%e countr:


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A teple of rivers 5arada and shipra (also called as 'hipra) will be built at

originating point of shipra river known as shipra ekri at village aini! about 44 k fro

#ndore. his place will be developed as a pilgriage centre and will be known as 'anga 'thal

(confluence place)! 5arada-shipra link proect in ain) his proect will be beneficial to the

%adhya Pradesh! especially %alwa region.

Note:

-) Narma"a:

Also called the Rewa

Also known as ;ife ;ine of %adhya PradeshG

he river rises is a sall bowl! known as the 5arada und! located at

Aarkantak on the Aarkantak hill in Anuppur /istrict of %adhya Pradesh.

Flows fro east to west (other east to west flowing river: apti and %ahi river)

Fors a rift valley while flowing between 'atpura and Hindhya ranges (other

rivers which fors rift valley are: /aodar river in ,hota 5agpur Plateau and

apti river)

#t drains through the ulf of habhat into Arabian 'ea.

Rift valley: #t is linear-shaped lowland between several highlands or ountain

ranges created by the action of a geologic rift or fault.

.) Ks%i+ra:

Also known as 'hipra.

he river rises in the akri *ardi hills Hindhya Range north of /har

#t flows north across the %alwa Plateau to oin the ,habal River

T%e /ra%ma+utra'Gan$a lin# (anal:


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*rahaputra River carries a discharge of about C666 cuecs even during lean period of

dry suer.

Reason: #ts catchent area receives heavy annual rainfall.

;ower anga basin faces acute scarcity of water in suer season.

Ai: o divert the surplus water of *rahaputra basin to the water scarcity areas of the

lower anga basin.

Re$uires the construction of

diversion barrage at /hubri in Assa

A long feeder canal to link the water at /hubri barrage with Farakka barrage.

"hen this proect copletes! it will be able to diver about 1?66 cuecs of water fro the

*rahaputra at /hubri to anga at Farakka. #ssue:

he feeder canal will pass through *angladesh territory for which #ndia will have

to reach an agreeent with *angladesh.

&ow this proect will benefit if it sign the agreeentI


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*angladesh can also use a part of water which is available in the feeder canal for

irrigation purpose or for augenting the water flow in the Pada river.

0nhance the hinterland capability for inland navigation which in turn! reduces the

pressure on rail and road transport.

Ken'/etwa river lin#:

&im:/iversion of surplus waters of en basin to water deficit *etwa basin.

his link canal will provide irrigation to water short areas of upper *etwa basin of

%adhya Pradesh by way of substitution and also to enroute areas of %adhya Pradesh J

ttar Pradesh.


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A da is proposed on river en at /audhan.

he *etwa coand coprises of four proects naely *arari! 5eekheda! Richhan

and esari in the upper reaches of the *etwa basin.

#t is the only proect for which the detailed proect report has been prepared. #ssues:

Appro7iately 3!B?6 ha of forestland in %adhya Pradesh is likely to be

suberged for the proectK and part of that forestland is a part of the Panna

5ational Park.

1221 census data used for the ipleentation in 466?.

National 0ater Gri":


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Ai: o link all the aor rivers of #ndia with the help of network of canals.

he %inistry of "ater Resources (%O"R) and ,entral "ater ,oission (,",)

forulated a 5ational Perspective Plan (5PP) for "ater Resources /evelopent in 1236

envisaging inter-basin transfer of water fro surplus basins to deficit basins=areas

5ational "ater /evelopent Agency (5"/A) was set up under the %O"R in 1234 for

carrying out various technical studies to establish the feasibility of the proposals of 5PP.

*ased on various studies conducted! 5"/A has identified >6 links (1B under Peninsular

,oponent J 1C under &ialayan ,oponent) for preparation of Feasibility Reports

(FRs).

Out of these! FRs of 1C links under Peninsular ,oponent and 4 links (#ndian Portion)

under &ialayan ,oponent have already been copleted.

"ork of preparation of /etailed Proect Report (/PR) of one of the link in Peninsular

,oponent 5aely en-*etwa link has been taken up by 5"/A.

#pleentation depends on the consensus and cooperation of the concerned 'tates and

agreeents with the neighboring countries.

#t coprises of two coponents

&ialayan Rivers /evelopent ,oponent

Peninsular Rivers /evelopent ,oponent

he two can be linked on the %ahanadi.

Advantage:

&elps to solve flood! drought! power and other water related probles of the

country.

&elp in resolving inter-state water disputes.

Also ensures a iniu flow of water in water deficit Rivers.

"ater which is flowing wastefully in rivers originating in the glaciers of the&ialaya can be properly utili@ed.

0nsure food security and also enhance our food production capacity

&elps to solve the power crisis as we can generate ore hydroelectricity.

#ssues:


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Himalaan Rivers 1evelo+ment (om+onent:

Ai:

o divert the surplus water of anga and *rahaputra basin to %ahanadi basin

then to 'outhern #ndia.

o suppleent the supplies of the anga and +auna and further transfer water

west to Raasthan and uarat.

Re$uireents:

,onstruction of storage reservoirs on the principal tributaries of anga and

*rahaputra

#nterlinking canal systes to transfer surplus flow of the eastern tributaries of the

anga to the west

;inking %anas-'ankosh-ista-anga to transfer *rahaputra waters to 0astern

anga basin. his in turn! re$uires the construction of high das on %anas and

'ankosh

Other proposed linkages are:

osi-haghara

andak-anga

haghara-+auna

'arda-+auna

;inking the *rahaputra and its tributaries with the anga

;inking the anga with the %ahanadi

Advantages:

Provides additional irrigation

eneration of hydropower

&elps to cobat against desertification particularly in the eastern #ndia

,ontrol of floods in anga basin (particularly in 5orthern *ihar) and

*rahaputra basin (particularly in Assa)

Provides necessary discharge for augentation of flows at Farakka to flush

olkata port


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0nhance hinterland for inland navigation which in turn! reduces the pressure on

rail and road transport.

#ssues:

Agreeent has to be signed with 5epal and *hutan to share the water which arehaving ibetan region as their origin.

5epal and *hutan ay construct das across the rivers flowing throw the in the

future.

At present! china is planning to construct three das across *rahaputra in ibet

region.

Peninsular Rivers 1evelo+ment (om+onent:

Re$uireent:

#nterlinking the %ahanadi-odavari-rishna-,auvery

/iversion of a few west-flowing rivers towards the peninsular basin across the

"estern hats.

;ink fro %ahanadi will re$uire the construction of %anibhadra da in Orissa

across %ahanadi.

he odavari is oined by two aor tributaries naely #ndravati and Penganga

downstrea of the aor storage at 'hri Rasagar.

'urplus water fro odavari can be stored in the available da site of

#nchapalli.

Advantage:

he %ahanadi-odavari link would not re$uire and lift of water

#rrigation potential of the agricultural land is going to increase

/ryland between odavari and rishna can be irrigated

Resolves the water sharing dispute ainly between arnataka and ail 5adu

over the water of the ,auvery River.


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2 N 1astur Plan:


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'chee of transferring about C3%> of water fro +angt@e to the +ellow to

iprove water availability in dry plains of 5orth china.

3S&:

Proect nae: ,olorado *ig hoson. /iverts about 6.43Ck> per annu of water fro the upper reaches of the

western flowing ,olorado river and sends eastwards into the south Platte River

*asin! which is a part of the %ississippi-%issouri basin.

,opleted in 12?D.

Sout% &frica:

;esotho &ighlands "ater Proect.

/iverts D?6> per annu of water fro ;esotho to 'outh Africa.

,opleted in 466C.

National 0ater Polic:

Forulated by the %inistry of "ater Resources of the overnent of #ndia.

Ai: o govern the planning and developent of water resources and their optiu

utili@ation.

he first 5ational "ater Policy was adopted in 'epteber! 123D. #t was reviewed and

updated in 4664 and later in 4614. 'alient Features:

he governent ay withdraw fro its role as a service provider in the water

sector.

,ounities and private sector should be encouraged to play the role of service

provider.

overnent should abolish all fors of water subsidies to the agricultural and

doestic sectors. 'ubsidies and incentives should be provided to private industry for recycling and

reusing treated effluents.

People displaced by large water proects should be ade partners and given a

share in the benefits coparable to the proect-benefitted failies.


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he cost of rehabilitation and copensation to the proect affected failies be

partly borne by the proect-benefited failies through ade$uate pricing of water.

Other aor features:

o curtail subsidy to agricultural electricity users 'etting up of "ater Regulatory Authority

o keep aside a portion of the river flow to eet the ecological needs and to

ensure that the low and high flow releases correspond in tie closely to the

natural flow regie.

o give statutory powers to "ater sers Associations to aintain the distribution

syste

o reove the large disparity between stipulations for water supply in urban areas

and in rural areas

o support a 5ational "ater Fraework ;aw

o ensure access to a iniu $uantity of portable water for essential health and

hygiene to all citi@ens! available within easy reach of the household

,ritics:

Paradig shift in approach fro service provider of water to facilitator of service.

Policy does not deter use aong those who can afford to pay for water.

PPP ode ay not ensure e$uity.

Policy does not follow polluter pay principleK rather it gives incentives for effluent

treatent.

National 0ater *ramewor# Law:

Proposed by a coittee headed by /r. +. . Alagh.

he fraework law was intended to be usticiable in the sense that the laws passed and

the e7ecutive actions taken by the ,entral and 'tate governents and the devolved

functions e7ercised by the Panchayati Ra #nstitutions (PR#s) would have to confor to

the general principles and priorities laid down in the fraework law (on the basis of a

national consensus)! and that deviations can be challenged in a court of law.

he proposed 5ational "ater Fraework ;aw is like that of /irective principle of 'tate

Policy! but different is the sense that it would be usticiable.


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"hy is a national law on water necessaryI

under the #ndian constitution water is priarily a 'tate subect! but it is an

increasingly iportant national concern in the following conte7t:

1. he udicial recognition of the right to water as a part of the fundaental

right to life

4. he general perception of an iinent water crisis! and the dire and

urgent need to conserve this scarce and precious resource

>. Rising inter-state conflicts in regard to the sharing of river water

C. he pollution of rivers and other water sources! turning rivers into sewers

or poison and containating a$uifers

?. he long-ter environental! ecological and social iplications of

proects to augent the availability of water for huan use

B. he e$uity iplications of the distribution! use and control of water

D. he international diensions of soe of #ndia9s river and

3. he eerging concerns about the ipact of cliate change on water and

the need for appropriate responses at local! regional! national and

international levels

'everal states are enacting laws on water and related issues.

/ifferent state governents tend to adopt different legal positions on their rights

over the waters of a river basin that straddles ore than one 'tate. 'uch legal

divergences tend to render the resolution of inter-'tate river-water conflicts

e7treely difficult.

"ater is one of the ost basic re$uireents for life. #f national laws are

considered necessary on subects such as the environent! forests! wildlife!

biological diversity etc! a national law on water is even ore necessary.

Finally! the idea of a national water law in not soething unusual orunprecedented. %any countries in the world have national water laws or codes!

and soe of the (for instance! the 'outh African 5ational "ater Act of 1223)

are widely regarded as very enlightened. he considerations behind those national

codes or laws are relevant to #ndia as well! although the for of a water law for


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#ndia will clearly have to be guided by the nature of the #ndian ,onstitution and

the specific needs and circustances of this country.


22/22

List of references:

http:==nwda.gov.in=writereaddata=linkiages=6D4>3>4>?>.P/F

http:==articles.tiesofindia.indiaties.co=466>-6D-1?=ubai=4D12264CL1Lriver-

linking-interlinking-proect-national-water-developent-agency

http:==articles.tiesofindia.indiaties.co=4614-11->6=indore=>?C3C4D3L1Llink-proect-

link-rivers-river-linkage

http:==articles.tiesofindia.indiaties.co=466C-6D-4B=india=4D1?DB?1L1Lriver-linking-

aerial-survey-flood

http:==articles.tiesofindia.indiaties.co=4614-14-1?=angalore=>?3>??3>L1Lwater-

crisis-ground-water-water-resources

http:==pib.nic.in=newsite=erelease.asp7IrelidM>341C

http:==www.hindu.co=466>=64=6>=stories=466>646>64D41>66.ht

http:==www.infochangeindia.org=environent=eco-logic=linking-rivers-tragedy-of-

errors.htl

http:==owr.gov.in=writereaddata=linkiages=5"P46140ngBC2?1>4B?1.pdf

http:==www.thehindu.co=opinion=lead=why-a-national-water-fraework-

law=articleC4364B>.ece

http:==nwda.gov.in=inde74.aspIslidM16BJsublinkidMBJlangidM1

urukshetra aga@ine of Nanuary 461> issue. (page no. 4? and 4B)

'elf prepared notes by taking points fro various sources.

Name : 'ushant uar 'inha
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Documents

Interlinking the Rivers and National Water Policy