NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE PLAN FOR INTERLINKING OF RIVERS

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• Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the funding and implementation of Ken-Betwa inter-linking of rivers project.
• The project envisages transferring water from the Ken river to the Betwa river, both tributaries of the Yamuna. The project will be completed in eight years.

Important points:

It is the first project under the National Perspective Plan for interlinking of rivers. The Ken-Betwa Link Canal will be 221 km long, including a 2-km long tunnel.

Ken and Betwa Rivers

• Ken and Betwa rivers originate in MP and are the tributaries of Yamuna
• Ken meets with Yamuna in Banda district of UP and with Betwa in Hamirpur district of UP.
• Rajghat, Paricha and Matatila dams are over Betwa river.
• Ken River passes through Panna tiger reserve.
• The idea of linking Ken with Betwa got a major push in August 2005, when a tripartite memorandum of understanding for preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was signed among the Centre and governments of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
• In 2008, the Centre declared KBLP a National Project. Later, it was included as part of the Prime Minister’s package for development of drought-prone Bundelkhand region.
• In 2021, a memorandum of agreement was signed for implementation of this project among the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the two states.

Implementing Agency:

• A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) called Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA) will be set up to implement the project.
• The National Interlinking of Rivers Authority (NIRA) has the powers to set up SPV for individual link projects.

The project has two phases, with mainly four components.

1. Phase-I will involve one of the components — Daudhan Dam complex and its subsidiary units such as Low Level Tunnel, High Level Tunnel, Ken-Betwa Link Canal and power houses.
2. Phase-II will involve three components — Lower Orr Dam, Bina Complex Project and Kotha Barrage.

Challenges:

• Submergence of Panna Tiger Reserve: According to the National Water Development Agency, the reservoir of Daudhan dam will involve “a submergence of 9000 ha area, out of which 5803 ha comes under Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR)
• To mitigate this, three WildLife Sanctuaries (WLS), viz Nauradehi, Rani Durgawati of MP and Ranipur WLS of UP are planned to be integrated with PTR.

SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT