The Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and Rainmatter Foundation organised the third episode of THE GREEN MANDATE SEASON-3 , focusing on ‘Assessing the River Interlinking Project ’.
The episode featured a panel discussion with Jasbir Singh Chauhan, ex-IFS and former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests; Shashi Shekhar, ex-IAS and former Secretary at Ministry of Water Resources; and Himanshu Thakkar, Coordinator of South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People. They were in conversation with Debadityo Sinha, Lead, Climate and Ecosystems team at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.
India’s Interlinking of Rivers Project (ILRP) is a large-scale initiative by the Government of India aimed at transferring water from surplus to deficit basins to address droughts, floods, and irrigation challenges. It involves construction of a network of dams, canals, and pipelines across the country, with key objectives including enhanced irrigation, groundwater replenishment, flood mitigation, and improved water security.
The National Perspective Plan (NPP) for ILRP was formulated in 1980, leading to the establishment of the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) in 1982 to assess feasibility. The NWDA identified 30 inter-basin links, comprising 16 under the Peninsular Component and 14 under the Himalayan Component. Under the Himalayan component, the Kosi-Mechi, Kosi-Ghaghra, and Chunar-Sone Barrage projects aim to transfer water from rivers in Nepal to Bihar. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Kosi-Mechi intrastate link was completed in 2014, with environmental and investment clearances granted in 2019 and 2020.
Under the Peninsular Rivers Component, DPRs have been completed for four priority links: Ken-Betwa (Phases I & II), Damanganga-Pinjal, and Par-Tapi-Narmada. DPRs for three projects under Ken-Betwa Phase II are under appraisal, while Damanganga-Pinjal has received techno-economic clearance but awaits statutory approvals. The DPR for Par-Tapi-Narmada is under technical appraisal, and an MoA for its joint implementation was signed in March 2021 between M.P., Gujarat, and the Union Government. MoUs for Damanganga-Pinjal and Par-Tapi-Narmada are currently under discussion with the concerned states.
The Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) is the first ILRP project under the NPP to enter the implementation phase. A Memorandum of Agreement for its execution was signed on March 22, 2021, and the project was approved in December 2021 with an estimated cost of ₹44,605 crore, of which ₹39,317 crore is central support. The project is being implemented through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), the Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA). As of now, ₹7,998.42 crore has been spent on Phase I and II, with completion targeted for March 2030.
While ILRP promises water security and agricultural benefits, it also raises serious environmental, legal, and socio-economic concerns. Experts warn that large-scale engineering interventions could disrupt delicate river ecosystems, with severe consequences for biodiversity and local communities. The Ken-Betwa project, for example, is reported to submerge 10% of the core habitat of Panna Tiger Reserve, posing a threat to tigers, fish diversity, and other wildlife. Experts have warned that the reduced river discharge due to interlinking could alter coastal water chemistry, impact estuarine fisheries, and disrupt regional rainfall patterns, potentially worsening drought conditions. The construction of dams and canals is expected to submerge vast tracts of land including forests, displacing communities dependent on forests and river resources and altering traditional livelihoods.
This discussion examined various dimensions of ILRP, discussing whether such large-scale interventions offer a sustainable solution to India’s water challenges and the potential risks to its natural ecosystems and people.
