Topics Covered:
Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Ken-Betwa river interlinking project
What to study?
For Prelims: Overview of the project and the location of Ken and Betwa rivers.
For Mains: Challenges involved, need for and significance of interlinking.
Context: The government has said it is pushing Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to make progress on the Ken-Betwa river interlinking project.
What’s the issue?
The ₹18,000-crore project has been mired in several hurdles. The most recent one is a disagreement between the States on the share of water. There are outstanding environmental obstructions too. It involves deforesting a portion of the Panna Tiger Reserve.
About Ken- Betwa project:
Conceived as a two-part project, this is the country’s first river interlinking project. It is perceived as a model plan for similar interstate river transfer missions.
The project aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken river in MP to Betwa in UP to irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region spread across the districts of two states mainly Jhansi, Banda,Lalitpur and Mahoba districts of UP and Tikamgarh, Panna and Chhatarpur districts of MP.
Key facts:
- 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.
Benefits of interlinking:
- Enhances water and food security.
- Proper utilisation of water.
- Boost to agriculture.
- Disaster mitigation.
- Boost to transportation.
Sources: the Hindu.
