The Ken-Betwa river interlinking project involves the diversion of nearly 6,000 hectares of the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. The Reserve is spread over 54,266 hectares.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick off this year’s ‘Good Governance Day’ by laying the foundation stone for the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project on Wednesday, December 25. The government calls it a landmark step toward addressing India’s water scarcity and boosting regional development.

According to the government, the Ken-Betwa River Linking project, the first under India’s national river interlinking policy, is set to transform the drought-prone Bundelkhand region, spanning Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

A large section of environmentalists do not agree with this massive engineering project being undertaken by the government.

The Ken-Betwa Link Project is a pioneering endeavour under the Peninsular Rivers Development plan, part of the National Perspective Plan for water resource management formulated in 1980. It aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken River in Madhya Pradesh to the Betwa River in Uttar Pradesh, ensuring equitable water distribution across drought-prone areas.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan (and present Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare) had expressed optimism about the project’s impact, calling it a “game-changer” for Bundelkhand’s image and future.

“It will bring socio-economic development, improve groundwater levels, and create new employment opportunities,” Chouhan had said.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav says that the Ken-Betwa Link National Project is a unique example of cooperation and coordination between the Government of India, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Saying that the project is the realisation of the River-Linking Campaign dream of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said that the project will change the image and destiny of the entire Bundelkhand region in both Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Economic Benefits

Estimated to cost ₹44,605 crore, the Ken-Betwa project involves constructing the Daudhan dam – a 77-meter-high and 2.13-kilometer-long structure – on the Ken River within the Panna Tiger Reserve. The dam will store approximately 2,853 million cubic meters of water. Water will be transferred to the Betwa River via a 221-kilometer-long link canal, supported by two tunnels of 1.9 km and 1.1 km in length. The dam will store 2,853 million cubic metres of water, the chief minister said.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav described the Ken-Betwa as the largest irrigation project in the country, adopting an underground pressurised pipe irrigation system.

This extensive infrastructure will provide irrigation facilities to nearly 65 lakh people (44 lakh people in 10 districts of Madhya Pradesh and 21 lakh in Uttar Pradesh) will be reached with drinking water through the project, which is estimated to cost Rs 44,605 crore.

The 10 districts of Madhya Pradesh, including Panna, Damoh, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, and Vidisha will benefit from the project. In these districts, nearly 7.18 lakh farmer families of 2,000 villages will be benefitted from the project.

Additionally, 59,000 hectares in Uttar Pradesh will receive irrigation support, stabilising water availability in areas like Mahoba, Jhansi, Lalitpur, and Banda.

The project is designed to produce 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar energy, contributing to renewable energy generation. Furthermore, the project includes efforts to restore historical Chandela-era ponds in districts like Chhatarpur and Tikamgarh. These ponds will serve as rainwater reservoirs, enhancing local water conservation.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s Vision

Prime Minister Modi’s efforts to advance the Ken-Betwa project fulfill the vision of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who championed river interlinking as a means to address India’s water distribution challenges. The tripartite memorandum of understanding for the project’s implementation was signed on March 22, 2021, in the presence of PM Modi, marking a significant milestone in collaborative governance that also envisages the revival of Bundelkhand.

Bundelkhand has long struggled with recurring droughts, leading to water scarcity, agricultural challenges, and outmigration for employment. The Ken-Betwa project promises a much-needed respite. Beyond irrigation and drinking water supply, it is expected to boost tourism and enhance the forest ecosystem of the Panna Tiger Reserve.

Technical Feasibility

Studies by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) have affirmed the project’s technical and economic viability. The surplus water from the Ken basin, determined through extensive feasibility assessments since 1995, will alleviate water shortages in the Betwa basin. The underground pressurized pipe irrigation system, the largest of its kind in India, underscores the project’s innovative engineering.

Efforts to finalise the project’s blueprint date back to 1995. A consensus among stakeholders was reached in 2005, and the detailed project report was subsequently prepared. The project’s implementation highlights the importance of inter-state cooperation in addressing shared challenges.

Though the government is set to announce that the project represents innovative infrastructure driving regional transformation and a beacon of hope for the people of Bundelkhand, many environmentalists strongly oppose the project due to its environmental impact.

The promise to address water scarcity, support agriculture, generate clean energy, and promote economic growth will come at an environmental cost, they say.

For instance, the river interlinking project has been appraised for forest clearance as it involves the diversion of nearly 6,000 hectares of the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. The Reserve is spread over 54,266 hectares and is home to tigers but with the coming of the project, nearly 10 per cent will be taken away. As per a former standing committee member of the National Board for Wildlife, the Ken-Betwa project will not only be disastrous for tigers in the region but will also have a severe impact on the critically endangered gharial found in the Ken river.

When the final sanctions for the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project (KBRLP) came through in October last year, it was welcomed with cheers by then BJP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who had called it a “fortunate day for the people of Bundelkhand who had lagged behind.”

Yet, according to the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), Chouhan made no mention of the thousands of farmers, herders, forest dwellers and their families in his state that it would deprive. Nor did he see that the forest clearance was awarded on the basis that power generation would be outside the Panna tiger reserve, but now it is inside.

Image: South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP)