The Hindu : Plan to link major rivers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 04, 2002

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Plan to link major rivers

PALANPUR (GUJARAT) OCT. 3. The Gujarat Agricultural University (GAU) has chalked out an ambitious plan of linking major rivers in the country that could prove a miraculous solution to the draught and flood ravaging the country seasonally.

The Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Agricultural University (GAU), M H Mehta, said in an interview that this could avert the likelihood of more inter-state water disputes precipitated by unwise water management which characterises the irrigation practices in the country, together with the erratic monsoon.

The gravity of the problem is compounded by the fast depletion of traditional water resources, M H Mehta said.

The vice Chancellor also discussed the idea informally with President APJ Abdul Kalam during his recent meeting with him at the Rastrapati Bhawan. He said the President favoured this idea of interlinking major rivers as it could solve the acute water shortage in certain states while the destructive floods in the eastern region is done away with.

Mr Mehta said Gujarat has provided a successful model for linking the big rivers in the country with its successful taming of Narmada and connecting it with remote places in the state.

After practical exercises based on local soil topography and the rain fall records, a vast plan should be designed for sustainable water availability. The solution could entail raising check dams, 'khet talawadi' (small farm pond) and recharging wells.

A national water management body can be set up which can store excess water and release it to draught affected areas, he said.

He said the President appreciated the satellite based communication system ``Krushi Gausthi'' evolved by the GAU, thorough which experts including planners, scientists and engineers sitting at GAU workshop replied to the queries of the farmers on making the optimum use of water. - UNI

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