New Delhi

The interlinking of Ken and Betwa rivers in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh would commence by this year end, and this would be a “model” project in the NDA government’s ambitious programme to interlink rivers in the country.

While the Ken-Betwa river link project would be the first project to be executed under the interlinking of rivers, the Centre is also taking up the planning of another important link – Manas-Sankosh-Teesta-Ganga in consultation with the governments of Assam, West Bengal and Bihar.

According to a statement, Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sanwar Lal Jat today said that various clearances related to environment, wildlife and forest for the Ken-Betwa link project are in the advanced stage of processing.

“I hope with all statutory clearance available, we will be able to start the actual execution of work on the project by the end of this year. The government will be implementing this national project as model link project of Inter-Linking of Rivers programme,” he said, while chairing the fifth meeting of the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers here today, the statement added.

Asking states with sufficient water resources to appreciate the national need for interlinking of rivers with a “spirit of goodwill and cooperation”, he said that this mega project will go a long way in enhancing water and food security of the country.

The Minister also said that work for preparation of DPR of Par-Tapi-Narmada link project is in concluding stage and it is expected to be completed by this month end.

After completion of DPR for Par-Tapi-Narmada link project the issue of water sharing between Gujarat and Maharashtra with respect to Damanganga-Pinjal and Par-Tapi-Narmada link project will be addressed, he added.

On Sapt-Kosi project, he said that investigation and preparation of DPR of Nepal part of this project is being expedited. The Sapt-Kosi dam will facilitate the Kosi-Ghagra link, which apart from irrigation will provide huge flood control benefit to Bihar, he added.

Jat further said that his ministry would soon be taking up the planning of another very important link Manas-Sankosh-Teesta-Ganga in consultation with the Governments of Assam, West-Bengal and Bihar.

On Mahanadi-Godavari link project, the Minister said that senior officials of his ministry made a presentation before the Chief Minister of Odisha on May 29 on the alternative proposal of Mahanadi-Godavari link.

The statement quoting the Minister said that 17 Members of Parliament have expressed their support to this project.

Referring to an important decision taken by his ministry regarding the appraisal of inter-linking projects, he said the Central Water Commission (CWC) will simultaneously convey its comments to National Water Development Agency (NWDA) along with the state governments.

NWDA will directly submit the compliance of comments to CWC and the simplified procedure will expedite the appraisal of link-projects, the statement added.

Water Resources and Irrigation Ministers from Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, UP, Maharashtra and AP participated in the deliberations.

Some of them were of the view that interlinking of rivers should be implemented within a definite time frame, the statement said.

PTI

Par-Tapi-Narmada link project

Par Tapi Narmada Link proposes to transfer water from the water surplus regions of Western Ghats to the water deficit regions of Saurashtra and Kutch. The link project includes seven reservoirs proposed in north Maharashtra and south Gujarat. The water from the seven proposed reservoirs would be taken through a 395 km long canal including the 33km length of the feeder canals to take over a part of the command of the on-going SardarSarovar Project, while irrigating small enroute areas. This would save SardarSarovar water which will be used to extend irrigation in Saurashtra and Kutch region. The link mainly envisages construction of seven dams, three diversion weirs, two tunnels (5.0 km & 0.5 km of length), 395 km long canal (205 km in Par-Tapi portion including the length of feeder canals and 190 km in Tapi-Narmada portion), 6 power houses and a number of cross-drainage works.

Besides providing irrigation benefits to the enroute command and Narmada command, the link will generate hydropower of the order of 93.00 Mkwh through the power houses installed at four dam sites viz. Jheri, Paikhed, Chasmandva and Chikkar and in two feeder canals taking off from Dabdar and Kelwan dams. The reservoirs will also provide flood relief to the people residing in downstream areas.

The seven dams proposed in the scheme are Jheri, Mohankavchali, Paikhed, Chasmandva, Chikkar, Dabdar and Kelwan. The Jheri and Mohankavchali dams are proposed to be constructed across Par river, one below the other while the Paikhed dam is proposed across Nar river, a tributary of the Par. The Jheri water after power generation will reach Mohankavchali through river course. The water from Mohankavchali reservoir will flow through a 5 km long tunnel to reach the Paikhed weir. Chasmandva dam is proposed across Tan river which is a tributary of Auranga, Chikkar dam is proposed across river Ambica, Dabdar is proposed across Kapri which is Ambica’s tributary and Kelwan dam is proposed across river Purna. Three diversion weirs are proposed downstream of Paikhed, Chasmandva and Chikkar dams as the hilly terrain does not permit the link canal to take off from the dam sites. The first part of the link canal viz Par-Tapi reach will take off from the right bank of the Paikhed weir and after inter-connecting the remaining four reservoirs vizChasmandva, Chikkar, Dabdar and Kelwan will finally terminate at the left flank of existing Ukai reservoir on Tapi river. The Par-Tapi portion of the link is 210 km long which includes 5.5 km tunnels, 33.267 km of feeders and the capacity of the canal varies from 44 Cumecs to 91 Cumecs. The link starts with a tunnel connecting Mohankavchali reservoir to Paikhed weir. The open channel link starts from Paikhed weir and drops into Ukai reservoir. The second part of the link canal viz. Tapi-Narmada reach will take off from the right bank of Ukai reservoir and after crossing the Narmada river in the downstream of SardarSarovar reservoir will finally terminate at RD 62.90 km of Miyagam Branch Canal of Narmada Main Canal of SardarSarovar Project. The Tapi-Narmada portion of the link starts from Ukai reservoir crosses Narmada river and it terminates at the Miyagam branch canal of Narmada Main Canal. This part of the link is 190 km long with a capacity varying from 71 to 45 Cumecs. The diverted water will be used to irrigate a total of 1.69 lakh ha annually comprising of 0.52 lakh ha enroute new command and 1.17 lakh ha in the Narmada command, consisting of Miyagam branch of the Narmada Main Canal.

A number of aqueducts are proposed for the link canal where it crosses major rivers/streams. Various cross drainage works such as cross regulators, road bridges etc. are also provided at suitable locations wherever necessary.

The project of Par-Tapi-Narmada link generally falls in the state of Gujarat except Jheri reservoir which falls in Maharashtra state. Jheri dam is located in Nasik district of Maharashtra, while remaining dams viz. Mohankavchali, Paikhed, Chasmandva, Chikkar, Dabdar and Kelwan dams are located in Valsad and Dang districts of Gujarat. Par-Tapi reach of canal passes through Valsad, Navsari, Dang and Surat districts of South Gujarat whereas Tapi-Narmada reach of canal passes through Surat, Bharuch and Vadodara districts of Gujarat. Thus, the project area is mainly spread in the districts of South Gujarat except for Jheri dam and reservoir.
The 7 proposed reservoirs provide a total of 1350 Mm3 of water. Power houses are proposed at the foot of the dam at Jheri, Paikhed, Chasmandva and Chikkar dams. In case of the Dabdar and Kelwan reservoirs, power houses are proposed in the feeder canals along the falls. The estimated annual energy to be generated from these power houses is of the order of 93 Mkwh. The irrigation benefits from the project have been worked out considering the project area with irrigation and without irrigation. The net annual benefit for irrigation has been estimated to be Rs.53.50 lakhs per hundred ha. Thus the total benefit for irrigating 1.69 lakh ha works out to Rs.56,301 lakh per year. The annual benefits from power generation are estimated to be Rs.5,523 lakhs.

The overall cost of the link is Rs.6,016crores (At price level 2004-05). The benefit cost ratio of the project has been found out to be 1.08. The internal rate of return for the project has been computed as 8.82 %.

Source:National Water Development Agency (NWDA)