National Board for Wildlife clears first phase of Ken-Betwa interlinking project

The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has given its approval to Rs. 10000 crore Ken-Betwa river interlinking project. It is India’s first inter-State river interlinking project.
Decision in this regard was taken at the NBWL meeting chaired by Minister of State (MoS) for Environment and Forests Anil Madhav Dave.
Key Facts

• The Ken-Betwa river interlinking project is divided into two phases and these clearances are only valid for the first phase.
• The clearance from NBWL will pave the way for the forest clearance and environment clearance process.
• The main feature of the project is a 230-km long canal and a series of barrages and dams connecting the Ken and Betwa rivers The key projects are Makodia and Dhaudhan dams.

Significance of Project

• Ken-Betwa river interlinking project will irrigate India’s worst drought-affected and drought-prone Bundelkhand region.
• It will irrigate 3.5 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh and 14,000 hectares of Uttar Pradesh, in Bundelkhand.
• It will benefit 5 districts of Madhya Pradesh (Chhatarpur, Raisen, Panna,Tikamgarh, and Vidisha) and 3 districts of Uttar Pradesh (Mahoba, Jhansi and Banda) by assured irrigation supply, domestic and industrial water supply and power.
• On the other hand, about 20000 people in 38 villages will be affected due to the submergence by Daudhan reservoir and Makodia reservoir.

Environmental Concern

• Ken-Betwa river interlinking project will be the first river project that will be located within a tiger reserve.
• It will submerge about 10% of the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh which has been feted as a model tiger-conservation reserve.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2016