Context: The Prime Minister of India laid the foundation stone for the Ken-Betwa river linking project in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Ken-Betwa link project; Ken river; Betwa river.
Ken-Betwa link project
- The Ken-Betwa link project envisages transferring of surplus water from Ken basin to water short areas of Betwa basin by substitution. Both rivers are tributaries of the Yamuna.
- The Ken-Betwa link project will be implemented in two phases.
- Phase I: involves construction of 77 m high Daudhan dam across river Ken.
- Phase II: involves construction of Lower Orr dam, Kotha Barrage and Bina Complex.
- The estimated cost of the project is around ₹45,000 crore.
Ken River:
- It is an interstate river between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
- It is a tributary of the Yamuna.
- It originates from the north-west slopes of the Kaimur hills in the Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh.
- The river joins the Yamuna river near village Chilla (Banda district), near Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh.
- The river is the last tributary of Yamuna before the Yamuna joins the Ganga.
- The important tributaries of Ken are - Alona, Bearma, Sonar, Mirhasan, Shyamari, Banne, Kutri, Urmil, Kail and Chandrawal.
Betwa River:
- The Betwa river originates in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh south-west of Bhopal.
- It is an interstate river between the two states viz. Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
- It flows in a northeasterly direction through Madhya Pradesh and enters into Uttar Pradesh near village Bangawan of Jhansi district.
- The river joins the Yamuna near Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh.
- Important tributaries of Betwa are - Bina, Jamini, Dhasan, Birma, Kaliasote, Halali, Bah, Saga, Narain and Kaithan.
Background:
- Ken-Betwa Link is the first project under the National Perspective Plan for interlinking of rivers, which was prepared in 1980.
- A major breakthrough came in the year 2005 when a tripartite memorandum of understanding for preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) was signed among the Central government, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
- In 2008, the Centre declared the Ken Betwa Link Project (KBLP) a National Project. Later, it was included as part of the Prime Minister’s package for the development of the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.
Significance:
- The project is expected to provide annual irrigation to 10.62 lakh hectares (8.11 lakh ha in MP and 2.51 lakh ha in UP) of land, and supply drinking water to about 62 lakh people.
- It is aimed at solving the water woes of the Bundelkhand region, spread across parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
- It will benefit the water-starved region, especially the districts of Panna, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh, Datia, Vidisha, Shivpuri and Raisen of Madhya Pradesh, and Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur districts of Uttar Pradesh.
- It aims to generate more than 100 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar energy.
Challenges and Criticism:
1. Environmental:
- The project will involve large-scale deforestation inside the heart of the Panna National Park and Tiger Reserve.
- Experts have raised serious concerns about submergence of around 98 sq km of Panna national park, and felling of about two to three million trees.
- The Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has pointed out that the project will undo the successful tiger reintroduction that helped the tiger population bounce back from local extinction in 2009.
- CEC also noted that in its downstream side, Daudhan dam is likely to affect the Gharial population in the Ken Gharial sanctuary along with vulture nesting sites.
- A study published by IIT Bombay highlighted that moving large quantities of water as part of river linking projects can affect land-atmosphere interplay and feedback and lead to a mean rainfall deficit by up to 12 per cent.
2. Economic:
- The Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee (CEC) had raised questions on the economic viability of the project. It suggested that the first focus should be on exhausting other irrigation options in the upper Ken basin before taking up any such large scale project.
3. Social:
- Since its inception the project has witnessed severe protest over the issue of inadequate compensation and rehabilitation plans. The dam will displace 5,228 families in Chhatarpur district and 1,400 families in Panna district due to submergence and project-related acquisition.
As per the Ministry of Jal Shakti the project will pave the way for more river interlinking projects to ensure that scarcity of water does not become an inhibitor for development in the country.