Yes, the Interlinking of Rivers is necessary to overcome anomaly of uneven temporal and spatial distribution of the rainfall in the country. The interlinking of rivers is also necessary to remove the regional imbalances.

The studies carried out by the National Water Development Agency for Interlinking of Rivers of the country, prima facie, indicate that the scheme is technically feasible.

The program for Interlinking of major rivers of India Comprises 30 links to share available waters equitably between different Basins and States.

The Survey & Investigations for preparation of feasibility reports for 16 links is in progress, while it is completed for 8 links. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation will be taken up after firming up feasibility report of each link.

The program will enable additional irrigation to about 35 Mha., additional hydropower of 34,000 MW, drinking water to many cities and villages, drought mitigation and flood moderation of areas covered, limited navigation and other benefits like huge employment generation, social upliftment, environmental up gradation, tree farming etc.

The Task Force will:

Provide guidance on norms of appraisal of individual projects in respect of economic viability, socio-economic & environmental impacts, and preparation of resettlement plans;

Devise suitable mechanism for bringing about speedy consensus among the States;

Prioritize the different project components for preparation of Detailed Project Reports and implementation.

Propose suitable organizational structure for implementing the project;

Consider various modalities for project funding; and

Consider international dimensions that may be involved in some project components. The Chairman of Task Force is in the process of discussing the project with the Chief Ministers of various states, leaders of the various political parties in the parliament and eminent citizens in order to build up consensus about the project.

The consensus on implementation of project among the co-basin states, international issues involved, resettlement and rehabilitation of the project affected people, timely clearance of the concerned agencies and project funding are the major challenges likely to be faced.

The benefits of the Program of interlinking of rivers as drawn up by NWDA include providing an additional irrigation in 35 Mha area, generation of 34,000 MW of power, provide navigation, socio-economic development and generation of enormous employment opportunities both during and after implementation.

Yes, it is a viable proposition as construction of storage reservoirs and canals rather improve the environment. In interlinking proposals a provision of the minimum lean season flow will be safeguarded to maintain the ecology and the river regime. The general prosperity that will follow the implementation of the project will help alleviate poverty, which today is the biggest polluter.

Nevertheless each project will be studied for its environmental impact and all measures necessary to mitigate any adverse impact will be taken.

It is estimated that a few lacs of people may get affected due to creation of reservoirs. The cost of rehabilitation will be included in the project cost. The Task Force (TF) is considering to suggest to the Government of India that the Rehabilitation & Resettlement (R&R) costs earmarked, preferably up front. The displaced persons will be provided proper R&R packages to ensure that their socio-economic condition improves after resettlement at new places. In order to ensure that the package of R&R well handled, measures like ‘Special Purpose Vehicle’ (SPV) associating NGO’s, sensitive to humane problems, will be suggested.

The ILR concept involves 30 links. It is not a single Project, anyway.

A number of issues have to be resolved and agreements forged for different projects. TF is critically reviewing as to the best efforts/ways and means to complete the ILR, early. The program is to complete by 2016 as desired by Supreme Court will be kept in view.

The overall cost of ILR links is yet to be assessed in a comprehensive manner. This will have to be based on Detailed Project Reports, which are being commissioned for individual links. After firming up the cost of each of these links the overall cost will be established.

Funding options are being studied through reputed financial Institutions within the country. The initial exercise reveals that it can be mobilized internally.

There is no proposal presently to seek external support.

The initial response of Funding Groups is encouraging and the method to be resorted to financing is a key item being studied by Task Force.

There is no agenda like privatizing the water. This is a vague and unfounded fear.

Almost all the major rivers of the country are getting linked.

About 200 BCM of annual water transfer is envisaged from water rich to water deficit basins/areas.

The concept involves the constructions of 32 dams and storage.

About 34,000 MW of hydropower is likely to be generated.

The ILR will increase irrigated agriculture in 35 Mha, over and above the 140 Mha, envisaged from conventional irrigation projects. This considered sufficient to meet the requirement of food grain of 450 million tones in the year 2050 for the projected population.

This is being studied by the Task Force consulting specialized Institutions and Agencies.

Irrigation to 35 Mha. But as the development impact extends to the hinterlands served by irrigated development in the States & Nation as a whole, the impact is wider and cannot be precisely indicated in terms of any specific area.

Yes, The geographical surveys done so far (for Feasibility level) indicate that the program is technically feasible. Detailed surveys are yet to be undertaken for DPR level work.

About 4,000 MW will be required for operationalizing the lifts involved in some of the links. The requirement being small, it can be met with from the available generation. In addition, the program will be generating 34,000 MW.

Yes, The Pre-Feasibility Studies (30 links) & Feasibility Studies of 8 links this.

There are enough indigenous technologies to handle the task of ILR Program. However, if required there will be no hesitation to avail foreign technologies.

The Overall ILR program consists of 30 links interconnecting Indian rivers, both in Peninsular and Himalayan parts. In its fold several links as proposed will be taking off from large storage built across the important flood causing rivers like the Kosi, the Mahanadi etc. the Projects, which will be planned as ‘multi-purpose projects’, would incorporate as one of its objectives, flood attenuation in downstream channel. The major rivers below the storage will be receiving moderated flood flows in a significant way. This will greatly reduce the calamities arising out of worst flood peaks of devastating nature.

However, damages due to floods and storms in the catchments downstream of the storage dams would be inevitable and will have to be attacked with other structural and non-structural measures. The problem would be however be minimized due to the introduction of storage dams upstream as a part of components created under ILR program.

One of the many objectives of the Interlinking of Rivers is to ensure that minimum stream flows required for ecological reasons are guaranteed. This aspect assumes crucial importance in dry rivers, especially in peninsular region. Dams and storage enable us to release surplus monsoon water in a regulated manner to safeguard the interest of environmental quality.

Yes, in many countries such programs have been implemented. For example USA, Canada, China, France, Germany etc. to quote a few.

This is not considered as insurmountable with present day technology. Extensive uses of the State of the Art technologies like ISRO/NRSA’s satellite Imagery, ALTM of SOI are proposed to be utilised.

The present day tunneling technology is sufficient to handle these issues.

This is not a fear based on any study. There is no truth in such an apprehension.

This is not true.

There is a more than an equal assertion in the media about the need and viability of the Project, given the water stress, faced in several regions and consequent distress to farmers, people and nation, at large.

The favorable opinion is both from internal as well as external groups; the isolated indication that NRIs are alone are supporting the project are not true.

The initial response of industry is encouraging.

The ILR Program will respect all the existing treaties with the neighboring countries.

The Project will be launched only after establishing its viability based on Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), which will be addressing all concerns like Social Issues, Environment & Ecology, Economic and other issues.

The project is expected to commence once its viability stands established based on DPRs; consensus of all State Governments with the links concerned is being attempted before launching DPRs. The Project will start with ‘independent links’ and a beginning is likely by 2007.

Sufficient provisions exist in Forest Conservation Act of Government of India for the protection of forest by means of compensatory afforestation, water shed treatment and other land and water management programs. Such norms will also be applied in ILR to avoid reduction in the forest cover of the country.

The objections of Anti-dam NGO’s will be reckoned through constructive engagement and dialogue with these groups. Transparency, optional scenarios and cost benefit returns, including possible trade off would form the main plank of our discussions with them.

This is not true.

Several Environmentalists have realized the great advantages, as the Program will enhance an opportunity to address some of the vexing concerns pertaining to environment and ecology. There can be a boon to forest cover as a considerable spread can be assured wherever the links will enable water transfer. Similarly, there can be a better control over minimum flows in streams that can go dry otherwise. The transfer of water from water rich to deficit basins and rivers in peninsular region will cause better revival of flows in some streams which almost dry in non monsoons.

Viewed in this manner, there are both environmental costs and benefits, which will be looked into in totality. It is wrong to conclude pre mature that environmental costs will be heavy to make the ILR unviable.

The interlinking of rivers is not at the expense of water conservation measures launched country wide, already. These will go on. The mere investment in these Projects alone would not, however, eliminate the problems in water scarce basins such as Cauvery or Sabarmati; such restricted investment will not along with current level of major and medium Projects developed, satisfy our future requirements for cereals for growing population. The need for interlinking of rivers is to address the perpetual problem that the deficit basins of the country face resulting in droughts when elsewhere water flows down to sea getting wasted!

The Interlinking of Rivers proposal is not ‘one’ project; it consists of a series of link projects, which are to be implemented in a phased manner over a period of time. While studying the proposals of individual link projects at the Pre-feasibility stage, its financial and economic viability based on existing norms for irrigation projects has been studied. Notwithstanding this each link will be further examined by the Task Force on ILRs set up by Government of India and DPRs prepared, after which only the links will be implemented. Refined irrigation systems are also to form part in the comprehensive program to ensure efficiency in water management.

Project implementation is dependent of several factors, financial, technical, social and environmental. The modalities for implementing the scheme within the stipulated time frame of year 2016 are to be suggested by the Task Force.

The implementation of multipurpose projects often gets delayed due to non-availability of timely clearance from Environment and Forest angle, R&R Inter-state issues and others.

However, for the ILR, special attention is being given to these aspects so as to resolve them up front in a time bound manner, to avoid delays during implementation phase.

Yes, the studies have been carried out by NWDA to interlink the west flowing rivers north of Mumbai and South of Tapi. One such link under this component is Par-Tapi-Narmada link. This link although passing through Ukai reservoir but does not envisage diverting any amount of water of Tapi basin. Similarly the link canal crosses the river Narmada, but no water of Narmada is proposed to be diverted in this link.

This is a misconception. The links of interest to Maharashtra are Par-Tapi-Narmada and Damanganga-Pinjal (Mumbai drinking water supply); the scope will further be reviewed to see as to how best the interest of the State could be accommodated.

The water management policies and programs are adopted by every country suiting to their needs and requirements. The climate of Europe/Germany is temperate with uniform rainfall occurring several times a year. Thus water storage is not a necessity in such regions. In India, rainfall is concentrated only during the monsoon months – storage are necessary. Also that chronically water deficit basins having non-perennial water sources need to be supplemented by water supplies from outside. Thus the needs for inter basin water transfer.

Chairman, Task Force on Interlinking of Rivers had extensive interaction with a cross section of the people, the media, political leaders and opinion makers.

A communication Core Group is assisting the Task Force for dissemination of all requisite information.

Fully competent. Dr. C.C. Patel, Vice-Chairman and Dr. C.D. Thatte, Member-Secretary, Task Force (TF) both are Ex. Secretaries of Ministry of Water Resources and eminent engineers having a vast experience of various aspects of water resources development projects such as planning, execution and running and maintenance. The members of the TF are drawn from various specialities like Social, Environment, Ecology, Financing, Legal and Engineering. They are renowned experts. The website www.riverlinks.nic.in may please be referred to for their CV. TF also utilizes the expertise of various Eminent Engineers and Institutions like IITs, NCAER, and NIPF&P etc. as Resources Persons/Institutions for the Task Force.