Back to River Valley Blues

Initiated in 1972 by then Irrigation Minister K.L. Rao envisaging a 2,640-km link to transport 60,000 cusecs of Ganga near Patna over a head of 500 m to the Peninsular region, the plan was promptly rejected on technical and economical grounds. In its second reincarnation, in 1980, the National Perspective Plan visualised two segments 8212; the Himalayan Rivers Development, and the Peninsular Rivers Development. The latest builds on the same, with a Supreme Court mandate to bear fruit within 10 years instead of the original 46.

And those who have dared the river dream before haven8217;t quenched their thirsts either. The erstwhile Soviet Union, in itself a dream-project nation, tried diverting Siberian rivers through a canal network to feed rivers in Kazakhstan and Central Asian republics. But a saline incursion in the 2,200-km tunnel, cutting through the vast steppes of Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers sealed the project8217;s fate.

China has a better track record, but it8217;s project to link the northern rivers with the southern ones haven8217;t got beyond the first stage of completion.

Cut to India, and the first nightmare is getting the various political interests to agree. In fact, the states concerned with the project are already on a denial mode. Orissa does not agree that they have a surplus in Mahanadi; ditto Andhra Pradesh with regard to Godavari. Assam went a step ahead, issuing objections to carrying out the initial surveys for the project. And Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh just can8217;t come to terms with the tiny Ken-Betwa link.

Nevertheless, the 250 engineers with the National River Development Agency, responsible for carrying out the feasibility studies, are ebullient. They say the project, despite the magnitude, is eminently executionable, provided there is political will. Says Suresh Chandra, former Chairman, National Water Commission: 8216;8216;The politicians have to put the interests of the country at the forefront.8221;

But not everyone shares the same enthusiasm. Ramaswamy Iyer, former secretary of Water Resources, says the task force set up by the Supreme Court, will consider not just the modalities of linking rivers but also the wisdom of the idea. 8216;8216;Any headlong rush in the pursuit of this chimera will be disastrous,8217;8217; he argues.

The risk-picture isn8217;t quite clear yet since, in the last 20 years, only six feasibility studies have been done out of the 30 required. Then there8217;s the small question of ecological prudence. Environmentalists point out that a river basin is a natural hydrogical unit that ought not be tampered with. Large networks of canals will alter the natural drainage, leading to water logging, they fear.

The myriad canals and links that form the heart of the project will also pose hurdles of getting clearances from various state environment ministries. Rehabilitating project-affected people pose yet another headache.

Such refrains are but negated by the project-pushers pointing out that the current plan omits many stumbling blocks in the earlier versions. Like the issue of negotiating through tough Vindhyas that would have called for a whopping 90,000 MW of power. Also, the engineers say that the project proposes very few new dams. Most of them are already existing or are those that have been proposed by states. There are just two dams on the Mahanadi and one on Godavari that are bigger than the rest.

Though money is secondary as the project is still in the feasibility stage, it is expected to drain the exchequer by a steep Rs 5,60,00 crore. There is talk about getting the money from proceeds of disinvestment of central and state public enterprises, cess on irrigation, mobilising funds through bonds and long-term loans from international agencies.

Even if the states do come together in one patriotic wind, the political hurdle promises to be long since the project has international ramifications. Negotiations with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh are yet to begin, but going by past examples, its going to be a steep task. The Brahmaputra-Ganga gravity link canal that India had proposed in the 8217;70s was rejected by Bangladesh. 8216;8216;An alternate canal passing through Indian territory through the chicken neck will involve huge lifts. Hence water cannot be diverted westward or eastwards,8217;8217; says Ramaswamy Iyer.

Whatever the odds, the voices emanating from Delhi8217;s corridors seem to indicate the dredgers are out. But linking dreams with deadlines demand much more than a fertile imagination. Over to the future, and its grand river.