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

September 21, 2016

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.

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