Context: In a major breakthrough for inter-state water relations, the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra signed a historic agreement in New Delhi under the oversight of Union Home Minister.
- The agreement resolves the long-pending dispute over cost-sharing, land acquisition, and rehabilitation (R&R) expenses for people displaced by the Sardar Sarovar Project through a one-time financial settlement.
About The Narmada River:
What It Is?
- The Narmada River (also known as Rewa, Amarja, Mekalkanya, or Rudrakanya) is one of India’s most revered, major peninsular rivers. Known as the “Lifeline of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat,” it is the largest west-flowing river in the Indian peninsula and the fifth-largest river overall in the country.
Origin (Source): It rises from a sacred open spring known as the Narmada Kund, located in the high altitude plains of Amarkantak in the Maikal Hills of eastern Madhya Pradesh, sitting at an elevation of approximately 1,057 meters above sea level.
Flow Direction: Unlike the majority of peninsular rivers that drain east into the Bay of Bengal, the Narmada flows horizontally westward.
Journey Length: It travels a total length of 1,312 kilometers (815 miles).
Tributaries of the Narmada:
- Left-Bank Tributaries: Burhner, Banjar, Sher, Shakkar, Dudhi, Tawa (its largest tributary), Ganjal, Chhota Tawa, Kundi, Goi, and Karjan.
- Right-Bank Tributaries: Hiran, Gaur, Barna, Tindoni, Kolar, Chankeshwar, Kanar, Man, Uri, and Orsang.
Key Geological Features:
- The Great Rift Valley Enclosure: The Narmada flows through an ancient tectonic rift valley (graben) between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges, giving it a long, straight course.
- Ancient Marine Transgression Genesis: The Narmada valley was once a marine channel, and its hard faulted rocks confine the river within a narrow, structurally controlled valley.
- The Estuary Outlet vs. No Delta: Unlike most west-flowing rivers, the Narmada forms a deep estuary instead of a delta because it carries limited sediment through hard rocky terrain.
- Dramatic Volatile Waterfalls: Steep rocky gradients create spectacular waterfalls such as Kapildhara near Amarkantak and Dhuandhar Falls near Jabalpur’s marble gorge.
Significance:
- The agreement showcases successful cooperative federalism, with multiple states peacefully resolving long-standing disputes over the Narmada project’s costs and rehabilitation.
- Resolving pending issues enables better use of the Narmada Basin’s water resources, strengthening irrigation, drinking water supply, and hydropower generation across western and central India.
