"Interlinking of Rivers in India: Balancing Opportunities and Challenges for Water Security", upsc, The Ken Betwa Link Project, China's South-North Water Transfer Project

In Context

Ken Betwa Link Project has been launched with the foundation stone being laid by PM Modi. The Ken Betwa Link Project is part of the National Perspective Plan for river interlinking.

The project, which is expected to cost ₹44,605 crore, will provide drinking water to nearly 4.4 million people in 12 districts of Madhya Pradesh and 2.1 million in 10 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, the project is expected to generate 27MW of solar energy and 103MW of hydropower on a total of a million hectares of farmland spanning 2,000 villages, according to officials with knowledge of the plans.

The massive Interlinking of Rivers project aims to link India's major rivers by building a system of canals and reservoirs. This effort aims to lessen the effects of droughts and floods by moving water from locations with excess to those with excess. River interlinking, including its main elements, benefits, drawbacks, and other relevant factors, will be thoroughly examined in this article.

About the Interconnection of Rivers

In the social, political, and economic spheres, water is a crucial issue. Our focus must be on managing and developing water resources properly. Droughts and floods affect millions of people. For instance, places affected by drought include Saurashtra, Vidarbha, and Bundelkhand, whereas areas hit by flooding include Assam, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. India's river interlinking project attempts to move water from places with excess water to those with deficits.The goal of India's river interconnection is to move water from places with excess water to those with deficits. Therefore, the interconnection of India's rivers will help prevent starvation among those residing in drought-prone regions, such as the West and South of the country, and the devastation caused by floods among those residing in flood-prone regions, such as Bihar, Assam, etc.

The Interlinking of Rivers irrigation project is expected to benefit 35 million hectares of irrigation (25 million ha from surface waters and 10 million ha from greater use of ground waters), according to the National Perspective Plan. Contribute to the production of approximately 34,000 megawatts of hydroelectric electricity (National Perspective Plan). Increasing the amount of water available for industrial and drinking uses is known as water security.India is experiencing the biggest water crisis in its history, with about 600 million people experiencing high to extreme water stress, according to NITI Aayog's Composite Water Management Index. Waterways that are inland: Canals will be used as waterways for navigation after they are constructed, which will ease the strain on rail and road transportation. Address floods and droughts: According to the World Meteorological Organization, India's flood-related calamities are expected to cause about US$4.2 billion in economic losses in 2022. Others include the creation of jobs, the expansion of the service industry, clean drinking water, etc.

Problems with River Interlinking State Water Dispute: It is challenging to get states to agree on interlinking rivers. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka's water dispute over Cauvery is one example. Environmental Impact: According to a number of experts, river interconnection may cause extremely intricate natural cycles to be disturbed, which could have a detrimental effect on biodiversity and monsoon cycles.For instance, a special therapeutic fish that is not found in Betwa can be found in Ken River. Unknown effects on the native fish population could result from diverting Ken's water to Betwa, which would also disturb the local biodiversity. Forest loss: It is anticipated that the projected Daudhan dam for the Ken Betwa Link Project will submerge more than 10% of the Panna Tiger Reserve's tiger habitat. Social Cost: Approximately 1 lakh families, 80% of whom are tribal, have been impacted by the Polavaram Link project, which connects the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Pennar, Cauvery, and Vaigai rivers.Bilateral Challenges: The Ganga and Brahmaputra are two examples of Himalayan rivers that traverse several international borders.

Government Actions, the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation established the Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers in 2015 to investigate the problems associated with interlinking rivers. Established in 2014, the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers established three subcommittees. Subcommittee I is responsible for doing a thorough assessment of the several studies and reports that are available regarding ILR issues.Subcommittee-II: Subcommittee for System Studies to determine the best different plan. Subcommittee-III: Subcommittee for NWDA Group Restructuring on Intra-state River Relations: To assess important concerns, define intra-state links, and suggest funding plans for connected projects, a Group on Intra-State River Links was established in 2015. The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)'s Accelerated Area Benefited Programme component is funded by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) through the Long Term Irrigation Fund.

The twin issues of drought and flooding affect both China and India. Although the conventional solution to this issue has been to build dams, both nations are investigating the more contentious project for water transfer between river basins, with China leading the way with its South-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP).Droughts and floods are twin issues for both China and India. China is leading the way with its South-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP), a more contentious project for water transfer between river basins, while both countries are investigating dam construction as a solution to this issue. It will be beneficial to research and absorb knowledge from China's South-North Water Transfer Project experience, as India is also preparing a large-scale project to connect its rivers. SNWTP transfers water from excess to scarce river basins in an effort to address China's dual problems of drought in the north and floods in the south.In order to connect the Yangtze River in the south with the 3-H river basin in the north—which is drained by the Yellow, Hai, and Huai Rivers—three canals must be constructed. The 'National Water Grid' of 1959 was an attempt to address the issue of water scarcity in India. However, a Supreme Court ruling on October 31, 2002, sparked a renewed interest in connecting India's rivers. The government then established a task team to investigate the project's viability. Despite recent media attention, technical facts and information regarding the environmental costs are lacking, and the project's benefits have not been proven.The cost of China's ambitious South-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP) has been estimated by a number of sources, however the cost of the country's space program is not openly visible. Estimated at an astounding $50 billion 1, it is certain that the project's cost will rise as it gets closer to completion, which is not expected to happen before 2050. Chairman Mao first proposed the project in 1952, and Chinese Premier Zu Rhonji approved it in December 2002. China has chosen to proceed with the project, which would help transmit up to 44 billion cubic meters of water annually through the Eastern, Central, and Western canals, despite the World Bank's involvement during the proposal stage.Construction on the Eastern Canal officially started in December 2002. Because it will capitalize on the Grand Canal's current irrigation and water transportation infrastructure, the eastern segment will be simpler to construct than the projected Central and Western canals. But in the western portion, where construction isn't expected to start until 2010, the project will fail. Here, 100-kilometer tunnels constructed in isolated, hilly areas at an elevation of 4,000 meters will connect the upper Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.Despite pressure from the region to keep the government on its intended path, the Western Canal seems unlikely to be constructed. There is a severe water deficit and a high population density in the 3-H river basin. For about five to eight months of the year, many of the region's rivers are dry. It is also referred to as China's breadbasket and is home to two out of five people. Just 10% of China's water resources are used for about 40% of its cultivated land and 31% of its total industrial production. It is indisputable that China's government is delivering water to its residents in areas that are lacking, but it is debatable why the project was approved without public discussion in the National People's Congress or civil society inspection. India is a democratic nation and, in contrast to China, cannot afford to take on a project that could have negative political and environmental effects. An estimated $120 billion would be spent on the river connecting project in India.However, the ultimate cost will surely be higher after the 400–500% cost overrun associated with large water projects is taken into account, requiring outside assistance from private donors. The price of water must be raised in accordance to each economic sector's ability to pay, which means that market principles must be applied to water usage. Water theft and price determination are two connected issues that will inevitably arise.The concept of water surplus itself is also dubious because water flowing into the sea is an essential part of the hydrological cycle and not a "loss." Finally, human security concerns cannot be negatively impacted by the logic of water security. Undoubtedly, China's proposal will involve the transfer of about 330,000 people, which will increase the need for compensation and resettlement in the future. The major societal failings of the projects are the main focus of anti-dam campaigns in India. In terms of resettling and rehabilitating the displaced and ensuring that the benefits trickle down to the local community, the Indian government's performance has been dismal.The river connection project will increase the likelihood of disputes over water resources between states and create more tension between the state and the center, which is an issue for India. The human security of Bangladesh and Nepal, India's neighbors, will undoubtedly be impacted by changes to the environment associated with the Himalayan Rivers. India is aware of this, as evidenced by the flash floods that occurred in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in 2000 due to a break in the dam built on the Tsangpo in Tibet (known as the Siang in Arunachal before it became the Bhramaputra).Over 50,000 people were left homeless, and the reason of the landslide was still unknown. Such large-scale earthworks, such as connecting rivers, will therefore undoubtedly result in unanticipated expenses that must be borne beyond national boundaries. There is little doubt that this will negatively impact relations between states. Even if the majority of China's initiatives are kept under wraps, India needs to keep a careful eye on China's river connection project. Water and human security issues, feeding a sizable population, and the necessity for economic growth are issues that both China and India face. China's mistakes must be learned by India.Although the participation of organizations like as the World Bank in such initiatives helps to lessen the likelihood of corruption, India, like China, must take autonomous precautions against the environmental risks that these endeavors entail. India should concentrate on water harvesting methods that aim to replenish groundwater supplies and aid in water conservation for usage during droughts. India must learn from Israel's experience in this endeavor instead of following China's lead.

    

In conclusion

With the Interlinking of Rivers project, water from surplus to shortage areas would be redistributed, addressing India's dual problems of flooding and drought. Increased irrigation, the production of hydroelectric power, and improved water security are just a few of the project's many potential advantages. However, it also faces substantial obstacles, such as environmental issues, sociopolitical conflicts, and exorbitant prices.India needs to take a balanced approach, giving priority to sustainable techniques like groundwater recharging and water conservation while also taking inspiration from global models like China's South-North Water Transfer Project. Transparent governance, fair resource allocation, and reducing social and environmental costs are essential to the initiative's success. Long-term water and human security ultimately depends on a multifaceted approach that combines creative water management practices with community involvement.