What led to the idea of interlinking rivers in a national grid?
BJP-led NDA government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee had propagated the idea of interlinking of rivers to deal with the problem of drought and different parts of the country at the same time.
What is the importance of the Indus River?
Economy. The Indus is the most important supplier of water resources to the Punjab and Sindh plains – it forms the backbone of agriculture and food production in Pakistan. The river is especially critical as rainfall is meagre in the lower Indus valley.
What is interlinking of rivers in India?
Interlinking of Rivers in India: Merits, Demerits & features. Interlinking of Rivers project is an idea to transfer water from surplus river basins to ease the water shortages in western and southern India. It comprises of 30 links to connect 37 Himalayan and peninsular rivers.
What are the negative effects of interlinking of rivers?
Furthermore, Interlinking of rivers will require more power to lift the water than what it is likely to produce (hydropower). The project will alter the entire ecosystem of the rivers = affect fisheries, flora and fauna, wetlands and other ecosystems.
Why should the Indo-Gangetic plains be interlined?
Hence, Indo-Gangetic plains witness devastating floods whereas peninsular states suffer from severe droughts. If this excess water is transported to the peninsular rivers, the issues of floods and droughts can be resolved. Therefore the interlinking of rivers will provide for equitable distribution of river waters.
What is the history of inter-linking of rivers?
The project of inter-linking of rivers was first proposed in the 1970s and revived again in 2003 however nothing concrete has been done on it. The concept has been envisaged on the fact that Indo-Gangetic rivers are perennial and are fed from rain waters and other glacial sources of southwest monsoon.