Ken-Betwa River Interlinking Project
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Ken-Betwa River Interlinking Project
Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the funding and implementation of the Ken-Betwa river interlinking project at a cost of ₹44,605 crore at the 2020-21 price level.
About Ken-Betwa River link project
The Ken Betwa interlinking of rivers (ILR) project was touted as the first river inter-link project under the revised national scheme.
It was given the Union Cabinet’s approval in July 2014 but was stalled because of protests from environmentalists and wildlife conservationists.
In March 2021, the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh signed an agreement that nudges forward the long-stalled multi-crore, controversial project to link the Ken and the Betwa rivers.
It is a project proposed to transfer excess water from the River Ken to the Betwa basin through the use of a concrete canal.
The project aims to provide irrigation to the Bundelkhand region, which is one of the worst drought-affected areas in India.
Nearly 8,650 hectares of forest land including part of Panna National Park in Madhya Pradesh will be submerged if the project were to become a reality.
Environmental concerns - Loss of the ecosystem and displacement
Impact on tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries in the region: Of the 12,500 hectares of land to get submerged by the project, more than 9,000 ha are categorised as forest land. The submergence area includes a critically important section of the Panna Tiger Reserve.
Impact:The Reserve is considered as a shining example of conservation after it successfully improved the tiger and vulture populations. Around 40% of the area of the tiger reserve will be irretrievably damaged, if the project is implemented. Also, the project may destroy about 7.2 lakh trees.