The Ken-Betwa Linkage Project (KBLP) Steering Committee had its third meeting in New Delhi on January 18, 2023. Chaired by Secretary Water Resources Department, Ministry of Jal Shakti, the project was considered is a “flagship” project of the national government. Furthermore, the project is “very important for water security and socio-economic development of the Bundelkhand region”.
Recently, in December last year, the Union Cabinet gave its nod to the Ken-Betwa Linkage Project at a cost of Rs 44,605 crore. In the KBLP project, both Madhya Pradesh and the national government will connect the Ken and Betwa rivers. The aim is that by connecting the two rivers, the Betwa River will be able to supply water to the Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh.
Ken-Betwa Link- EXPLAIN!
The Ken-Betwa link will be more like a canal. The canal will be fed by the new Daudhan dam. The dam will be constructed in the Panna Tiger Reserve.
The central government claims that the dam will generate about 103 MW of hydropower.
The connecting canal will run through Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur and Jhansi districts. It is expected that when the project is completed, it will irrigate about 6.3 lakh hectares of land per year.
What do the experts have to say?
After studying the complete model of the project, ecological and hydrological experts are not completely convinced about the idea. This is due to the “surplus and deficit” model that the project comes with. However, experts feel that this model does not have a solid scientific basis.
Experts also worry that the project could jeopardize Panna’s water security. In 2018, Ravi Chopra, an environmentalist, called the project “pointless.” The criticism does not end here. In 2021, Raghu Chundavat, a conservation biologist expressed his concerns through a sarcastic comment, saying that thanks to the Ken-Betwa Linkage Project, “Bundelkhand will suffer for decades next”.
Legal issues
Regarding legal issues, mere approval of the Standing Committee of the National Wildlife Commission for the KBLP is not enough. From a legal perspective, the project is not considered important and necessary to enhance and improve the management of wildlife there, as stipulated in Section 35(6) of the Animal Protection Act wild in 1972.
This observation has been made by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court of India regarding the idea of constructing a high water reservoir dam on the Ken river in Panna National Park and Tiger Reserve for Ken-Betwa Linkage Project.
The applicant was relieved to observe the statement that the wildlife approval granted by the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) on August 23, 2016 was indeed in excess authorization.
Previously, an expert body established by the NBWL Standing Committee proposed that “an independent hydrological study of the Ken River is needed” but the Indian government ignored this proposal. In addition, the agency also warned that no development project should damage or destroy the ecology of the remaining fragile ecosystems and important tiger habitats in India.
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Source: pagasa.edu.vn