Gadkari’s stress on interlinking of rivers

The country has been facing draughts and floods at the same places mainly credited to the mismanagement of the water sources. The mismanagement and shocks from the unregulated supply can hurt the economic backbone of agriculture in the country. As a probable solution to it, Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari has said the government aims to begin work on three river inter-linking projects and building two dams in the next three months. 

Talking to reporters after a review meeting with senior officials of his Ministry in New Delhi, Mr Gadkari said, the river inter-linking projects were necessary to tackle flood and drought situations.  The three working projects are highlighted to be : Ken-Betwa, Par-Tapi-Narmada and Damanganga-Pinjal interlinking. Many agreements and environment clearances are also to be cleared before any project work starts. He said, the government will use the latest technology in Ken-Betwa, Par-Tapi-Narmada and Damanganga-Pinjal river inter-linking projects. Besides, the government also aims to begin work on Pancheshwar and North Koel dams. The Minister said, these projects will help to irrigate lakhs of hectares. 

Mr Gadkari said, he will convene a meeting with the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh over the Ken-Betwa river inter-linking project. Mr Gadkari said the Ken-Betwa, considered as the first river inter-linking project, will help irrigate nearly 15 lakh acres of area. The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has given its clearance for the Ken-Betwa inter-linking of rivers (ILR) project, paving the way to begin work for linking two rivers.