Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on December 25, laid the foundation stone for the Ken-Betwa river-linking project in Madhya Pradesh's Bundelkhand region. The controversial project will cost the exchequer Rs 49,000 crore. The project, India's first river-linking initiative under the national river interlinking policy, seeks to tackle drought and migration issues in Bundelkhand, spanning Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
PM Modi Inaugurates Ken-Betwa River Project Amid Controversy | Explained
A former IAS officer, who was stationed in the area, between 2005-08, highlighted the natural and other risks related to the project.
Despite its promise, the Ken-Betwa River-Linking Project has sparked significant controversy and criticism from various quarters.
Details Of The Project
The Ken-Betwa project is set to benefit over 8.11 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh and 59,000 hectares in Uttar Pradesh, impacting around seven lakh farmers and stabilizing existing irrigation systems, media reports showed.
The project involves transferring water from the Ken River in Madhya Pradesh to the Betwa River in Uttar Pradesh, covering an area of about 6,000 square kilometers.
The aim is to mitigate water scarcity in the Bundelkhand region, known for its recurring droughts, migration issues, and insufficient irrigation infrastructure.
The reports also showed that the project is designed to address these challenges by enhancing irrigation facilities, ensuring better water supply for drinking and irrigation, and boosting the agricultural output in the region.
It includes the construction of a multi-purpose dam on the Ken River, known as the Daudhan Dam, and a 231-km-long canal to transfer water to the Betwa River.
What Is The Controvery Behind The Project?
One of the primary objections raised against the project is its environmental impact. The construction of the Daudhan Dam will submerge a large area of the Panna Tiger Reserve, threatening wildlife and biodiversity.
According to several media reports, a former IAS officer stationed in the area had cautioned about the controversies from 2005-08. Between 2005 and 2008, a former IAS officer, who had previously been posted in the area, wrote a series of letters to the Madhya Pradesh and Union governments urging them to halt the proposed Ken-Betwa river linking project. The former bureaucrat warned that the project would have disastrous consequences for the residents of Panna district and other areas of the Ken river basin.
Despite these warnings, his appeals went unheard.
In September 2010, the former bureaucrat wrote once again, this time to the vice-chairperson of the Planning Commission. He urged, "On behalf of the residents of Panna district, I implore you to kindly review the attached correspondence and give the matter your personal attention," the Telegraph quoted the bureaucrat.
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The project has been accused of not adequately addressing the ecological balance of the region, and environmentalists fear it could disrupt the delicate ecosystem of the tiger reserve, home to the endangered species of tigers.
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