VISHVESHWARAYA TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

JANA SANGAMA , BELGAVI

A TECHNICAL SEMINAR PRESENTATION

On

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

PRESENTED BY

YUKTA MU
(4UB19CV057)

Under the guidance of

Dr. H . ERAMMA
Professor and Chairperson

DEPARTMENT OF STUDIES IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITY B.D.T. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,
DAVANAGERE 577004
INTRODUCTION
• Interlinking of River envisions transferring water from water 'surplus’
basins where there is flooding to water 'deficit’ basins where there is
drought/scarcity through inter basin water transfer project .

• The northern plains of India are endowed with surplus water due to
presence of perennial rivers originating from Himalayas.

• Southern and Western India generally witnesses drought, as this region is

drained by seasonal rivers whose water level largely depends on Indian
monsoon.
.

Fig 1) Flooding in water surplus areas Fig 2) Drought in water deficit areas
HISTORY OF INTERLINKING OF RIVERS PROJECT
 The idea of interlinking of rivers was first proposed by the Indian
engineer K.L. Rao in 1972.
The project aims to transfer surplus water from the Brahmaputra and
Ganga river systems to water-scarce southern and western regions of
India.
In 1980, the National Water Development Agency(NWDA) was
established to study the feasibility of the project.
Several committees and commissions were formed over the years to
study the projects technical, economic, social, and environmental
aspects.
.

WHY INTERLINKING OF RIVERS

 Reasons for Inter Linking
 Regional Rainfall variation
 Futuristic Demand of Irrigation
 Increasing Population and food demand
 To control floods & Droughts

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

 Regional Rainfall variation
▪ The Rainfall over the country is primarily orographic, associated
with tropical depressions originating in the Arabian sea and the
Bay of Bengal. The summer monsoon accounts for more than 85%
of precipitation.
▪ Large parts of Haryana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are not only
deficit in rainfall but also subjected to large variations, resulting in
frequent droughts and causing immense hardship to the population
and enormous loss to the Nation..

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

 Futuristic Demand of Irrigation
▪ Irrigation using river water and ground water has been the prime
factor for raising the food grain production in our country from
a mere 50 million tones in the 1950s to more than 200 million
tones at present, leading us to attain self-sufficient in food.
▪ Irrigated area has increased from 22 million hectares to 95
million hectares during this period.
▪ At present estimate the “Ultimate” irrigational potential of the
country being stated as 113 million Ha.

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

 Increasing Population and food demand

▪ The population of India, which is around 1000 million at present

is expected to increase to 1500 to 1800 million in the year 2050
and that would require about 450 million tones of food grains.
▪ For meeting this requirement. It would be necessary to increase
irrigation potential to 160 million hectares for all crops by 2050.

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

 To control floods & Droughts

▪ Floods are recurring feature, particularly in Brahmaputra and

Ganga rivers, in which almost 60% of the river flows of our
country occur.
▪ On the other hand large areas in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu face recurring
droughts. As much as 85% of drought prone area falls in these
states.

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

MAJOR RIVER INTERLINKING PROJECTS
Godavari River has been formally interlinked with the Krishna River at
Ibrahimpatnam (near Vijaywada) in Andra Pradesh in September 2015.

 India declared the Ken-Betwa Link project as the National Project. The
recent agreement aims to implement the interlinking of Ken and Betwa
rivers
RIVER LINKING PROJECT
 The National River Linking project is divided into 2 parts as per National
Perspective Plan 1980.

 Two components :
Himalayan component
Peninsular component
Intrastate interlinking of rivers, this 3rd component was added in 2005
This project is being managed under the National Water Development
Authority of India (NWDA), Ministry of Water Resources.

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

Fig 3: Inter basin water transfer links
(Ref : Interlinking of rivers in India- Issues and Challenges, Naveen K)
INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS
HIMALAYAN RIVER DEVELOPMENT
• The NWDA took up 14 Himalayan links to study.
• Himalayan River Development envisages construction of storage reservoirs
on Ganga and Brahmaputra and their principal tributaries in India and Nepal
along with inter-linking canal system to transfer surplus flows of the eastern
tributaries of Ganga to the West, apart from linking of main Brahmaputra
with the Ganga.
• Apart from providing irrigation to area of about 22 million hectares and
generation of 30 million kilowatt of hydropower, it provide sustainable food
control in the Ganga - Brahmaputra basin

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

Fig 4 : Himalayan component links
INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS
PENINSULAR RIVER DEVELOPMENT
• It consists of 16 interlinking projects.

• This scheme is divided in four major parts

1) Interlinking of Mahanadi-Godavari-Krishna –Pennar-Cauvery
2) Interlinking of West Flowing Rivers, North of Bombay and South of Tapi
3) Interlinking of Ken with Chambal
4) Diversion of some water from West flowing rivers

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

 .

This component will irrigate an additional 25 million hectares and

generate hydropower, apart from benefits of improved flood control
and regional navigation.

The main part of project would send water from the eastern part of
India to south and west.
Fig 5: Peninsular component links
INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS
INTRASTATE INTERLINKING OF RIVERS COMPONENT

India approved and commissioned NWDA in June 2005 to identify and

complete feasibility studies of intra-state projects that would inter-link
rivers within state.
The State Government of Bihar proposed 6 inter-linking projects,
Maharashtra 20 projects, Gujarat 1 project, Orissa 3 projects, Rajasthan 2
projects, Jharkhand 3 projects and Tamil Nadu proposed 1 interlinking
proposal between rivers inside their respective territories.
BENEFITS OF INTERLINKING RIVER PROJECT
 Increased irrigation facilities for agriculture and horticulture.
 Improve availability of drinking water in water-scarce areas
 Increased hydropower generation
 Reduce risk of droughts and floods
 The dried up forests and lands will be replenished
 Creation of inland waterways for transportation of goods and people

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

ISSUES OF INTERLINKING PROJeCT
Environmental issues like water logging, salinity, ecological imbalance,
loss of biodiversity
Rehabilitation of people on a large scale
Conflict between states on sharing of water/ inter state water disputes
Huge capital requirement
Project may take 50 years to complete
Displacement of tribal and poor
PRESENT CONDITION OF ILR
 Feasibility report 14 Links under Peninsular component and 2 links under
Himalayan component have been completed
On 16 Sep 2015 first link was completed of rivers Krishna and Godavari
and it is under review
Work on interlinking of Godavari, Penna began at Andrapradesh

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

 Fig 6:Godavari - Krishna
river link map

Fig 7: Godavari – Krishna

river link

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

CONCLUSION
 This ILR in India is based on innovative methods of linking of natural and
artificial water drainage for inter-basin and intra-basin water transfer
 This is a unique technique of rain water conservation
 Recharge the ground water bodies and dry well
 Optimum utilization of rainfall-runoff for inter-basin and intra-basin water
transfer
 Watershed management within the command area is used not only for
agriculture purposes, but also for drinking water and industrial purposes.

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS

INTERLINKING OF INDIAN RIVERS