Overview of the River Interlinking Concept

The concept of river interlinking in India traces its origins to the 19th century, when Sir Arthur Cotton first proposed inter-basin water transfer to address irrigation issues. Over time, this idea was refined by other experts. It evolved into the National Water Grid and, later, the River-Interlinking Project (ILR) under the Ministry of Water Resources. The goal is to transfer surplus water from rivers to drought-prone areas, aiming for water security, irrigation, and power generation.

Key Projects and Initiatives

• Ken-Betwa River Link Project (KBLP): Launched in December 2024, the KBLP will link the water-surplus Ken River with the drought-stricken Betwa River. It aims to irrigate over 10 lakh hectares, supply drinking water to 62 lakh people, and generate hydropower and solar power. However, concerns over the environmental impact of building a dam within the Panna Tiger Reserve have been raised.
• National River Linking Project (NRLP): The NRLP, formally known as the National Perspective Plan, is an ambitious proposal that includes 30 river links—14 Himalayan and 16 Peninsular—to connect India's rivers and create a giant South Asian Water Grid.

Benefits of Interlinking Rivers

• Flood and Drought Mitigation: Redistributing water from surplus areas to drought-prone regions, such as Bundelkhand, will reduce the severity of floods and droughts.
• Agriculture and Irrigation: Expanding irrigation systems across 35 million hectares of land could significantly boost agricultural productivity and food security.
• Hydropower Generation: The interlinking project has the potential to generate up to 34 GW of hydropower, contributing to India's renewable energy targets.
• Economic Growth: Improving water availability can boost industries, provide drinking water, and support economic development in underdeveloped regions.
• Inland Waterways: The project will also contribute to the expansion of inland waterways, benefiting trade and reducing transportation costs.

Challenges and Concerns

• Environmental Impact:
  • Biodiversity Loss: Projects like the Ken-Betwa project raise alarms about the destruction of ecologically sensitive areas, such as the Panna Tiger Reserve.
  • River Ecosystem Disruption: Altering natural river courses can harm aquatic life, disrupt deltaic ecosystems, and degrade water quality. For instance, the Sardar Sarovar Dam's impact on the Narmada river system shows the long-term consequences of such projects.
  • Pollution: The mixing of cleaner and more polluted rivers could exacerbate water contamination issues.
• Social and Financial Costs:
  • Displacement: Large-scale interlinking projects will displace millions, especially marginalized communities and indigenous people, and disturb local livelihoods.
  • High Financial Burden: The total estimated cost of the NRLP is ?5.5 lakh crore, which does not include environmental rehabilitation costs or the long-term maintenance of the infrastructure.
• Climate Change: Predictions suggest that climate change could affect river flows and the availability of surplus water. This might render the interlinking project ineffective in the long term.
• Inter-State Conflicts: Water-sharing disputes, like the long-standing issues over the Cauvery and Krishna rivers, could intensify with more interlinking projects.
• Infrastructural Challenges: Maintaining vast canal networks and reservoirs, managing sedimentation, and acquiring land for construction are logistical hurdles.

Alternative Approaches and Solutions

• Efficient Water Management:
  • Integrated Watershed Management: Implementing a comprehensive approach to manage existing water resources can reduce the need for large-scale river transfers.
  • Groundwater Recharge: Focusing on efficient groundwater management by identifying recharge mechanisms and regulating water use is crucial for sustainability.
• Modern Irrigation Techniques:
  • Drip Irrigation: Israel’s success with drip irrigation, which reduces water use by 25%-75%, provides an example of how modern technologies can save significant amounts of water.
• Virtual Water: Emphasizing the import of water-intensive goods (like wheat) could save local water resources, which would otherwise be used for domestic agriculture.
• National Waterways Project (NWP): An alternative to the interlinking project, NWP aims to improve water management by creating navigation channels that double as water distribution networks with a fraction of the land use.

Way Forward

• Comprehensive Impact Assessments: The need for multidisciplinary studies to evaluate the environmental, social, and economic impacts of river interlinking projects cannot be overstated. Stakeholder engagement is crucial for equitable decision-making.
• Sustainable Water Policies: A national water policy should prioritize sustainable water practices, focusing on local solutions, such as water harvesting, watershed management, and smart irrigation.
• Focus on Regional Solutions: Smaller, state-specific projects should be prioritized to address water scarcity issues without triggering large-scale environmental degradation.