INTERLINKING OF RIVERS IN INDIA:

                            What  stops  to undertake the project 

The supreme court  has recently passed directives to the union Govt of india for early implementation of the project on interlinking of rivers. The concept of the National Water Grid was first conceived by Dr K. L Rao of the National Water Grid – an engineer & Minister of Indian  cabinet in the 1970s. Intervening in a Lok Sabha debate on drought on November 20, 2002, the then Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee disclosed that the government proposed to take up the scheme for interlinking of rivers on a war footing as a long term solution the recurring problem. The UNDP mission visiting India in the early 1970s suggested that it was none too soon to start the complete investigations required for the execution of the National Water Gird by the year 2000 & here we are at the threshold of 2012, still scratching our heads as to whether, when & how to start the spade work

 Why this delay? what stops us from undertaking the project ? Answer follows at the end. Let us discuss the need & importance of interlinking the rivers. Climate- wise India is possibly a most diverse nation. We have dry desert areas , snow - cloud mountains, certain areas covered by perennial rivers while some other areas covered by seasonal rivers. Some areas experience extreme draught while certain areas experience devastating floods. No doubt. India has substantial water resources, but their distribution over the land is uneven. This is because of the seasonal & region- specific distribution of rainfall. Large tracts  in western, central & southeastern India witness very scanty rainfall while in the northern & eastern regions heavy monsoon cause extensive floods. Interlinking of major rivers in India would have solved both flood & draught problems, agricultural productivity would have increased, hydroelectricity would have helped industrial development, property & lives of millions would have saved , drinking water & electricity for domestic consumption would have been easily made available at a cheaper rate. In fact Indian economy and living standard would have improved beyond calculated limit. The estimated cost of the National Grid in Rs 5, 60, 000 crore,which is by no means a small amount. But it should not be a cause of worry keeping in view the gains that the project promises in future. India will be able to solve a host of problems once the plan is successfully implemented. Those who view the project with skepticism must look at the shining examples in other Countries where such projects yielded results. Many people dismissed the idea as utopian and highly expensive. They should calculate how much is it costing the nation in terms of losses of life and properties and how much losses we are incurring in terms of developmental works for non- implementation of the project. Gains will be much above the proportion to the likely cost of the project. There are region-based lobbies who are also against the mighty project. They must understand India is one and its resources belong to the entire Country; we cannot afford to allow regional chauvinism to play, spoilsport with the greater good of the country. Every part of India has an equal claim to the National wealth. India is one well-knit family and if anything happens to one member, it affects all. A calamity in one part of the country affects the entire nation. An earthquake in Gujarat is not the sole concern of the state, its affects the country as a whole. Likewise, no state can lay claim that it’s natural resources are exclusively it’s own and hence cannot be shared with others.

Above all, the government lack the desired will to undertake the work which is the primary reason for  not taking a bold decision. Let us now wait and see the collective will of the present Monmohan singh government and force of the Supreme Court direction on the issue for much desired project on interlinking of all rivers in India.