05-12-2005, 04:49 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>River-interlinking: Ken-Betwa model stumbles on UP hurdle </b>
Pioneer News Service / New Delhi :
The ambitious river-interlinking project has met its first stumbling block with Uttar Pradesh resisting the pilot project.
While the Centre hopes to make Ken-Betwa a model link in the promised transfer of water from surplus to deficit regions, the state has reservations over water flowing through it from the river Ken to Betwa in Madhya Pradesh. The Ministry of Water Resources is now prodding the state to at least agree upon a detailed project report and sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Madhya Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh objects to the water diversion since it will diminish power generation potential in the state, downstream of the proposed link. The Water Resource Ministry has a tough task at hand to bring the states on board on the emotionally-charged and politically-sensitive issue of water sharing. "We have written to the States that their objection is valid but have asked them to reconsider.
Their concerns can be addressed once they give a go-ahead for a detailed project report," Water Secretary J Hari Narayan said. An MoU between the states is the first step for any meaningful progress on the demonstration project. In this case, Madhya Pradesh has agreed for a detailed project report. The other link in the pipeline is the Parbati-Kalsindh-Chambal link, where Rajasthan will also be asked to take part.
Other links identified are Polavaram-Vijaywada, Par-Tapi-Narmada link and Damanganga-Pinjal link. Canals through these rivers will go towards linking rivers of the southern peninsular. The larger plan is to eventually bring waters of Mahanadi to Cauvery. And better still, bring excess water of Brahmaputra to Cauvery, if Bangladesh is on board. Water Resources Minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi said when issues are fleshed out, India's neighbours will be brought on board. He urged Bangladesh Government to not heed disinformation campaign over India's intentions.
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Pioneer News Service / New Delhi :
The ambitious river-interlinking project has met its first stumbling block with Uttar Pradesh resisting the pilot project.
While the Centre hopes to make Ken-Betwa a model link in the promised transfer of water from surplus to deficit regions, the state has reservations over water flowing through it from the river Ken to Betwa in Madhya Pradesh. The Ministry of Water Resources is now prodding the state to at least agree upon a detailed project report and sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Madhya Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh objects to the water diversion since it will diminish power generation potential in the state, downstream of the proposed link. The Water Resource Ministry has a tough task at hand to bring the states on board on the emotionally-charged and politically-sensitive issue of water sharing. "We have written to the States that their objection is valid but have asked them to reconsider.
Their concerns can be addressed once they give a go-ahead for a detailed project report," Water Secretary J Hari Narayan said. An MoU between the states is the first step for any meaningful progress on the demonstration project. In this case, Madhya Pradesh has agreed for a detailed project report. The other link in the pipeline is the Parbati-Kalsindh-Chambal link, where Rajasthan will also be asked to take part.
Other links identified are Polavaram-Vijaywada, Par-Tapi-Narmada link and Damanganga-Pinjal link. Canals through these rivers will go towards linking rivers of the southern peninsular. The larger plan is to eventually bring waters of Mahanadi to Cauvery. And better still, bring excess water of Brahmaputra to Cauvery, if Bangladesh is on board. Water Resources Minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi said when issues are fleshed out, India's neighbours will be brought on board. He urged Bangladesh Government to not heed disinformation campaign over India's intentions.
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