The Hindu Business Line : Thirty projects identified under river link scheme

THE National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has identified 30 river links under the proposed river interlinking scheme and prepared feasibility reports for eight such projects.

The projects would now be put up before the Government for approval as part of the national perspective plan for water resource development by transferring water from surplus to deficit areas, according to Mr Suresh P. Prabhu, Chairman of the National Task Force on Inter-linking of Rivers.

Speaking at a conference on river inter-linking organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here on Wednesday, Mr Prabhu said that of the 30 links identified by the NWDA, 16 were in peninsular India and the rest in the Himalayan river systems. Feasibility reports had already been prepared for seven links that are part of the peninsular component and one for the Himalayan component.

Mr Prabhu said that the Task Force was trying to evolve a national consensus on the project that is expected to cost over Rs 5,60,000 crore. "We have been working with different State governments. People are gradually realising the advantages of the project as against stiff opposition from many quarters earlier. It is time that we won over emotive responses with the help of science."

Pointing out that there was inequitable distribution of water in the country, he said that the proposed river-linking project would make water uniformly available and prove to be a "win-win" situation for all.

The project would provide a fillip to transport, agriculture and tourism sectors, he said.

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