1

National Water Grid for Bharat

S. Kalyanaraman, Sarasvati Research Centre, Aug. 13, 2017

A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice SH Kapadia, the other two

being Justices AK Patnaik and Swaranter Kumar, issued a writ of mandamus under Article 141

of the Constitution on 27 February 2012 to the Union and State governments concerned to

“forthwith constitute” a Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers.

I suggest that PM should lead this Committee which should be constituted immediately, together

with an announcement of constitution of National Water Grid Authority of Bharat.

River Board Act 1956 should be complemented with Water Security Act enacted under Entry 56

of List I (Central List), because Control and Development of a River Valley (Entry 56 List I) is

integrally linked to the four major sources: glaciers, groundwater, run-offs and sea-water.

A National Water Grid Authority is the answer to fragmentation of water management which

creates a vacuum at the peak and confusion at the bottom. Climate changes impact rivers and in

particular, glacial accumulations of northern monsoon waters which convert to snow and ice on

the Himalayan ranges. A central authority should provide for people-centred water management

and address transparency issues. Key areas to be addressed are:

40% evaporation losses from reservoirs, canals and mechanisms to cope with silt accumulations

in reservoirs.

Flood control, Positive impacts of Flood Control: wildlife habitat management; greenways and

trails; water storage, groundwater recharge; erosion and sediment control; sand and gravel

deposits

Problems to be addressed: Mitigation of Pollution propagation, subsidence; glacial outbursts,

floods; sea-level rise; episodic and chronic erosion

Areas of eco-importance and challenges: draining of wet lands; avoidance of water-logging; land

degradation, conversion of land for agriculture; ecological development institutional

arrangements; introduction of exotic species of plants and animals ensuring biodiversity;

dredging of river navigation has exacerbated problems of river-bank erosion.

Eco-Challenges: Use of natural resources to alleviate poverty, the greatest polluter; involving

civil society on right levels; resettlements of people; incentives for cooperation; aquatic

ecosystems, pushing out ingress of sea-water

Cooperation imperatives: Cooperation with Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan

Cooperation among States within Bharat; Cooperation among Centre, States and Panchayats;

Cooperation between National Waterways, Railways and National Highways to minimize land-

acquisition and bridge construction costs

Conflict resolution and environmental impact analyses through arbitration procedures in-built

with National Water Grid.

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Equity

Water security is integrally linked to Gender

equality.

Women in the workforce: girls should go to

school, that should be our Sarasvati vandana.

This will happen when water is available at the

turn of a tap in the home or when a bore-pump-

switch is switched on, water should flow to the

field.

Financial arrangements: options

Konkan railway model; Floating Mahanadi-Kaveri Bonds, Brahmaputra,

National Waterways Bonds

Distribution of 9 crore acres of land to 9 crore poor, landless families with fair price per acre and

equitable distribution of loans

Rehabilitation of about 5 lakh people (or 1 lakh families) impacted by the canals networks of

National Water Grid

Restoration of submerged forgest lands (43000 ha) by afforestation of uplands

Levy of cess for new irrigatd lands covered by Command Area of Irrigation

Surcharge on fuel to fun the cost of canal-and land-networks

No need for foreign lons, no need for foreign technology, no need for Govt. budget support

(NWGA should be a self-finacing agency)

Finance Commission should be asked to study the financing arrangements to panchayat raj

institutions for maintenance and day-to-day operations of the Grid.

• Social cost-benefit analysis of the National Water Grid

• Increase in food production (Addl. 200 mt)

• Increase in forest cover from 19% to 33%

• Enhanced livelihood for 60% agricultural population

• 15000 kms of National Water Ways (Multiplier economic effects)

• Savings in imported fossil fuels due to Wate Ways (Rs. 3000 crores per annum)

• Social cost avoidance (Flood damages, Rs. 30,000 crores per annum; Drought

relief, Rs. 15000 crores per annum; Water-sharing disputes (denting national

unity), incalculable costs.)

Examples to emulte:

1760-1840 The Canal Age of Britain. In 2000, the Waterways Trust was set up by the operator of

the UK’s 2000-mile national canal network, British Waterways, but is now an independent

charity

There are multitudes of old, indigenous works in various parts of India; these are noble works

and show both engineering talent and boldness, e.g. Kallanai of Karikala Chola 2nd cent.

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What Sir Arthur Cotton, Founder

of Modern Irrigation Programme,

said in 1784: “They have said, we

are a kind of civilized savages,

wonderfully expert at fighting, but

so inferior to their great men, that

we would not even keep in

repairthe works they had

constructed, much less even imitate

them in extending the system…it

was from the native Indians we

learnt how to secure a foundation

in looe sand of unmeasured depth.

With this lesson about foundations,

we built bridges, weirs, aqueducts,

and every kind of hydraulic

work…we are thus deeply indebted to the native engineers.”

There should be no dearth of swachch paani (Pure water) for every farm and every home, in a

nation blessed with the Greatest Water Tower of the Globe, The Himalayas. The fresh waters

held as snow and ice on the glaciers of the Himalayan ranges which stretch from Hanoi to

Teheran can be made to reach every one of the 6.2 lakh village of Bharat simply by gravity.

Every farm and every home of the entire Indian Ocean Community can be assured of 24x7

water.

Key highlights of the National Water Grid

The National Water Grid Authority should integrate the aspects of Command Areas of Irrigation,

potable water supply to every home and also the development of National Waterways

(Peninsular component alone has 1000 kms. of waterways).

• Imperative of re-charging and sustaining ground-water tables, tank-networks

• Restoration of kudi-maraamattu (Peoples’ self-help to maintain water works)

• Forestation of uplands (Sahyadri ranges)

• Bringing Brahmaputra flood waters to Kanyakumari

7 Peninsular rivers: 45 mhm (rains); 8.75 lakh sq. km. (Delta area)

Brahmaputra: 53.7 mhm (glaciers); 1.94 lakh sq. km. (Delta area)

PotentiaL

Adding 11 m.ha. under Command Area of Irrigation (4.5 m.ha. directly through canals network;

6.5 m.ha. through tanks network)

Need for bringing waters from Hoganekal to the uplands of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala

Need for a contour canal on Sahyadri ranges (paralleling Konkan Railway)

Water management through peoples’ participation, designed a Peoples’ Projects.

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Grain problem of Bharat: 2134 kg/ha yield; China: 4664 kg/ha yield

Agri production: 1951: 65 mt 2001: 200 mt Vision 2020: 400 mt

Irrig. Area: 1951: 22.6 m.ha. 2001: 90 m.ha. Vision 2020: 175 m.ha.

Productivity (Irrigated land): 2001: 2.1 ton/ha Vision 2020: 3 ton/ha

Productivity (Unirrigated land): 2001: 0.75 ton/ha Vision 2020: 1 ton/ha

Water resources of Bharat: 70% used for agriculture

Glaciers 1.725% (68% of fresh-water)

Groundwater 0.77% (31% of fresh-water)

Rivers, tanks, swamps 0.025% (1% of fresh-water)

Water fetishism, Water as a commodity, Water more expensive than milk (an economic

absurdity)

Right to life = Right to water

Water shortages (rather than land shortages) are affecting growth in food production

Ground-water tables in Tamil Nadu have dropped 30 metres in 30 years, dangers of ingress

of sea water, dangers of arsenic poisoning

Need to maintain minimum flow levels in rivers for ecological sustainability

Concepts of virtual water (Import water? Import food!)

Sea water (7517 km. coastline) 97.475%

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Background

A proposal to create a network of rivers and canals and formation of a national water grid was

made in 1881, by Sir Arthur Cotton, who had constructed the Godavari anicut.

A good demonstration of the interlinking of rivers is the Sarasvati River project ongoing through

Rajasthan Nahar Board. The reborn River Sarasvati now flows for over 1000 kms. utilizing the

waters of Sutlej and Beas rivers from the Harike reservoir (created off Bhakra-Nangal and Pong

dams) and waters have reached upto Gedra Road in Barmer District, Rajasthan.

Asian Water Development Outlook 2007 published by the Asian Development Bank underscores

the importance of appropriate water governance to ensure water for

all. http://www.adb.org/Water/Knowledge-Center/AWDO/default.asp The report highlights that :

water crisis in the future will not be caused by physical scarcity of water

energy, food, environment, are interacting development sectors

to avoid water stresses, research needs to be strengthened on issues related to

climate change and water planning and management processes

limited access to water is a key determinant of poverty and uncontrolled

deforestation

stable institutional frameworks and strong political will, are ingredients of

successful water management practices in the region

Map shows the stretch of Himalayan ranges from Hanoi to Teheran. Glaciers some of the largest

perennial rivers of the world: Yangtse, Huanghe, Brahmaputra, Mekong, Irrawaddy, Salween,

Sutlej, Sindhu, Ganga.

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Perspective plan of National Water Development Agency (NWDA), Min. of Water Resources

with 14 Himalayan and 30 Peninsular Components of interlinking of rivers in Bharat. The

principal component is the diversion of only the flood-waters of Brahmaputra to make every

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Peninsular River a jeevanadi (perennial river). The plan is an answer to 1. recurrent floods in

Brahmaputra basin 2. recurrent droughts in Peninsular Bharat and 3. Creation of command area

of irrigation assuring 24x7 water to every farm reducing the dependence on the vagaries of the

monsoons.

Reborn River Sarasvati

The NWDA perspective plan includes the following links:

Ghagra-Yamuna Link

Sarda-Yamuna Link

Yamuna-Rajasthan Link

Rajasthan-Sabarmati Link

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Command areas Sarda-Yamuna link

How will Ganga be crossed?

Solani River Aqueduct

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The Solani River

Aqueduct “India's first

aqueduct-Solani

Aqueduct was

constructed by the

Britishers in 1846

and epitomizes the

perfect example of

engineering marvel in

Uttarakhand. The Old

Solani Bridge is built

over Old Gang Nahar

(old Upper Ganga

Canal), no water flows

into it now. It is

considered as the most

remarkable brick masonry structure. Roorkee owes its development to this aqueduct. Augmented

recently, it is a source of major attraction for people visiting Roorkee. The Solani River, an

intermittent stream, was crossed on a magnificent arched aqueduct ornamented with lions and

with approach embankments over 2 miles long. The aqueduct was built 175 feet wide — 150

feet for the canal itself, the rest for a two-lane road and railings. The 980 feet long aqueduct

consisted of 15 spans of 50 feet each separated by 10 feet wide piers, the trough being 175 feet

wide. Over 11 million cubic feet of masonry, 85 million bricks were used in the aqueduct. The

frontispiece showed two elegant details: decorative iron railings imported from England and

pairs of large stone lions, made locally and placed at each end of the aqueduct.Sir Proby Cautley,

founded the University of Roorkee as a training ground for canal engineers. This is now

India’s famed engineering school, IIT Roorkee.”

http://www.archh.com/m/ginni24/projects/411/the-solani-river-aqueduct/1/list/

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Ghaghra-Yamuna link The Ghagra-Yamuna link project is an inter-dependent link under the

Himalayan Component of NPP. A study reveals that the Ghagra River (known as Karnali in

Nepal) at the proposed the Chisapani dam site has surplus water. It is proposed that the existing

requirement of water for the Sarda Sahayak Pariyojna, Saryu Nahar Pariyojna and various pump

canals would be met from the proposed Gandak - Ganga link project and the water saved thereby

could be diverted from the proposed Chisapani reservoir through the Ghagra - Yamuna link

canal. The height of proposed dam is 175 m. A regulating dam downstream of the Chisapani dam

is proposed with a full reservoir level of 200 m and a minimum drawdown level 193 m. The link

canal shall join Yamuna River in Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh. The total length of the link

canal would be about 417 km with its depth varying from 8 m in the head reach to 5 m in the tail

reach and the width varying from 85.5 m in the head reach to 18 m towards the tail end.

States concerned: Bihar , Uttar Pradesh & Nepal

Annual irrigation (Lakh ha) 25.30 + 1.35 (Nepal) =26.65

Domestic and Industrial supply (MCM) 1391

Hydropower (MW) 10884

Status: FR completed (for Indian portion)

Sarda-Yamuna link This is a continuous link having a combination of three links, viz., the Sarda-

Yamuna link, the Yamuna-Rajasthan link, and the Rajasthan-Sabarmati link. This link canal is

planned to divert 17,906 MCM (14.52 MAF) water of Himalayan rivers. Its length will be 1,835

km out of which 75 km will be in Gujarat State. A total of 4 states, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana,

Rajasthan and Gujarat, are to be benefited by this link. About 1,627 MCM (1.32 MAF) water has

been allocated to North Gujarat which is only 9% of the total divertible water at the canal head.

A total 7.38 lakh ha area is to be irrigated by the Rajasthan-Sabarmati link, out of which 5.35

lakh ha in Rajasthan and 2.03 lakh ha in Gujarat.

States concerned: Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand & Nepal

Annual irrigation (Lakh ha) 3.45+-0.30 = 3.75

Domestic and Industrial supply (MCM) 6250

Hydropower (MW) 3600

Status: FR completed (for Indian portion)

Yamuna-Rajasthan link The Yamuna-Rajasthan link proposal is an extension of the proposed

Sarda–Yamuna Link beyond the Yamuna to provide irrigation to the drought prone areas of

Haryana and Rajasthan. It envisages diversion of 8,657 Mm3 of water from the Sarda basin at

Purnagiri. The Yamuna - Rajasthan link is to take off from the right bank of proposed Yamuna

barrage and passes through the Karnal, Sonipat, Jind, Hisar and Bhiwani districts of Haryana and

Churu, Hanumangarh, Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer districts of Rajasthan and

ends on the Jaisalmer-Hamira-Shri Mohangarh Road at a distance of 4.5 km from village Kanod

towards Jaisalmer. The length of the link canal is 786 km, out of which 196 km lies in Haryana

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and the rest 590 km in Rajasthan. The design discharge at head and tail are 572 cumec and 344

cumec, respectively. The longitudinal slope of the canal is 1:20,000. The full supply depth and

bed width of the canal at head are 7 m and 53 m, respectively. The Yamuna - Rajasthan link will

provide an annual irrigation of 244,200 ha in the districts of Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jodhpur and

Jaisalmer of Rajasthan.

States concerned: Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, & Rajasthan

Annual irrigation (Lakh ha) 0.435 + 2.442 = 2.877

Domestic and Industrial supply (MCM) 57

Status: Draft FR completed

Rajasthan-Sabarmati link The Rajasthan-Sabarmati link canal is an extension of the proposed

Yamuna–Rajasthan Link. The link envisages a transfer of 5,924 Mm3 water available at the tail

end of the Yamuna-Rajasthan link for drought prone areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The length

of the canal is about 725 km out of which 650 km lies in Rajasthan and the rest 75 km in Gujarat.

The design discharge at the head and the tail are 344 cumec and 60 cumec, respectively. The full

supply depth and bed width of the canal at its head are 6 m and 39 m, respectively. The link

canal on its way will cross the Luni River & its tributaries and the Banas River.

The Rajasthan-Sabarmati link will provide an annual irrigation of 535,000 ha in the districts of

Jaisalmer, Barmer and Jalor of Rajasthan. The total annual irrigation thus envisaged in Rajasthan

State through the above two interbasin water transfer links works out to be 779,200 ha.

Further, interlinking the Gandak, the Ghagra, the Sarda and the Yamuna, all tributaries of the

Ganga, on to Rajasthan and the Sabarmati aims at transferring the waters of Gandak and Ghagra

Rivers to benefit areas in Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar and

Jharkhand. Other important links proposed in the Himalayan component are the Kosi-Ghagra,

Gandak-Ganga, Ghagra-Yamuna and Sarda-Yamuna links to supplement the supplies of the

Ganga and the Yamuna and for further transfer of water towards the west to Rajasthan and

Gujarat. A large canal parallel and to the east of the existing Rajasthan canal is proposed which

will be extended beyond the tail of the present Rajasthan canal and be linked to the Sabarmati.

States concerned: Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, & Rajasthan

Annual irrigation (Lakh ha) 5.35 + 2.04= 7.39

Domestic and Industrial supply (MCM) 282

Status: Draft FR completed

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A countour canal on Sahyadri ranges has been suggested to move the waters (which are wasted

into the Arabian Sea) through tunnels into east-flowing rivers of Peninsular Bharat. This canal

running parallel to Konkan Railway will augment the flow of waters in these rivers and

complement the NWDA plan for interlinking of rivers. A good model is provided by the

implementation of the Periyar dam and the Hemavati-Netravati and Bedti-Varda links included

in the NWDA Perspective Plan.

15

Satellite images showing the networks of tanks in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu which

support tank irrigation of fields in these regions. The NWDA plans have to be integrated with

these networks and also measures to recharge groundwater tables all over the country. A good

example is provided by the Mettur Dam in Tamil Nadu. It is called Kallanai built by Karikala

Chola 2nd cent. Moving Cauvery waters intro Kollidam (Coleroon) which brought additional 10

lakh acres of land with assured irrigation.

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17

The rivers inter-linking feasibility reports completed by 2013, suggest the following investment

needs and potential economic impact:

18

[hide]Inte

r-link

project

Leng

th

(km)

Estimated

Cost in the

year 2003 or

earlier#

New

irrigati

on

capacit

y

added

(hectar

es)

Potentia

l

Electric

ity

generati

on

capacity

Drinki

ng &

Industr

ial

water

added

(MCM)

Refere

nce

Krishna–

Pennar Link 587.2

₹6,599.80

crore (US$980 mil

lion)

258,334 42.5 MW 56 [44]

Godavari–

Krishna

Link

299.3

₹26,289

crore (US$3.9 billi

on)

287,305 70 MW 237 [45]

Parbati

Kalisindh

Chambal

243.7

₹6,114.5

crore (US$910 mil

lion)

225,992 17 MW 89 [46]

Nagarjunasa

gar

Somasila

Link

393

₹6,320.54

crore (US$940 mil

lion)

168,017 90 MW 124 [47]

Ken Betwa

Link 231.5

₹1,988.74

crore (US$300 mil

lion)

47,000 72 MW 2,225 [48]

Srisailam

Pennar Link 203.6

₹1,580

crore (US$230 mil

lion)

187,372 17 MW 49 [49]

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[hide]Inte

r-link

project

Leng

th

(km)

Estimated

Cost in the

year 2003 or

earlier#

New

irrigati

on

capacit

y

added

(hectar

es)

Potentia

l

Electric

ity

generati

on

capacity

Drinki

ng &

Industr

ial

water

added

(MCM)

Refere

nce

Damangang

a Pinjal

Link

42.5

₹1,278

crore (US$190 mil

lion)

- - 44 [50]

Cauvery-

Vaigai-

Gundar

Link

255.6

₹2,673

crore (US$400 mil

lion)

337,717 - 185 [51]

Polavaram-

Vijayawada

Link

174

₹1,483.91

crore (US$220 mil

lion)

314,718 72 MW 664 [52]

Mahanadi

Godavari

Link

827.7

₹17,540.54

crore (US$2.6 billi

on)

363,959 70 MW 802 [53]

Par Tapi

Narmada

Link

395

₹6,016

crore (US$890 mil

lion)

169,000 93 MW 91 [54]

Pamba

Achankovil

Vaippar

Link

50.7

₹1,397.91

crore (US$210 mil

lion)

91,400 500 MW 150 [55]

20

#The cost conversion in US $ is at latest conversion price on the historical cost estimates in

Indian rupees

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Rivers_Inter-link

Source Bijker, W.

E. (2007). "Dikes and Dams, Thick with Politics." Isis, 98(1), 109-123.

Grand Anicut (Kallanai) built by Karikala Chola (2nd cent.) Moving Cauvery waters into

Kollidam. An engineering marvel 2000 years old which has been used as a model in South

Africa in ancient times.

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A barge of BARC carrying nuclear desalination plant which can produce 50,000 litres (at 4.5

paise per litre) of drinking water every day.

http://www.barc.gov.in/pubaware/water.html

Nuclear Desalination Demonstration Project in Kalpakkam. The portable plant can be taken on a

boat along the coastline of Bharatam and along the flow of saline waters In rivers (such as Luni

river in Rajasthan-Gujarat) to desalinate the waters and produce fresh potable water. These

desalination plants can augment the fresh-water sources for coastal towns and cities along the

8500 km. long coastline of Bharatam.

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Benefits of National Water Grid

National Water Grid can be put on fast-track to shield the nation from the impact of the global

financial melt-down, by making it the centre-piece of a stimulus package for the infrastructure

development in the nation.

Regional aspirations can be met by organizing the NWGA in four zones, NWGA East, West,

North and South and managed by competent management experts.

In India, the interlinking of rivers at an estimated cost of Rs. 5 lakh crores has been mooted by

National Water Development Agency of Ministry of Water Resources.

Local self-government institutions of the Panchayati Raj by making these institutions stake-

holders and share-holders of the National Water Grid Authority. Experts opine that the

interlinking project can be implemented in 5 years’ time.

Supreme Court was also seized of the national issue and in one instance observed as follows on a

writ Petition 724/1994: “It is difficult to appreciate that in this country with all the resources

available to it, there will be a further delay of 43 years for completion of the project to which no

State has any objection and whose necessity and desirability is recognised and acknowledged by

the Union of India. The project will not only give relief to the drought prone areas but will also

be an effective flood control measure and would be a form of water harvesting which is being

rightly propagated by the Union of India and all the State.”

http://nwda.gov.in/indexmain.asp?linkid=97&langid=1

This one move of constituting National Water Grid Authority, alone has the potential to create

60,000 km. of national water way saving precious foreign exchange for import transport diesel

fuels, make available

In addition to the transfers of water from flood waters of Brahmaputra river during the flooding

season, the National Water Grid should incorporate many other water supply schemes such as

the following:

1. Augmentation of groundwater resources by using the flood waters

2. Promotion of afforestation plans in the uplands of the country to augment regularity

of monsoons (one proposal is to create a contour canal along the Sahyadri ranges to reach

water to the uplands of Maharashtra and Karnataka and preventing the wastage of water

through rapid flows in west-flowing rivers during the monsoon season.

3. Use of nuclear technology by use of mini-nuclear reactors carried on barges to

desalinate seawater to m eet the drinking water needs of settlements along the long 7,500

km. coastline of the nation. Such a technology can also be used to desalinate entire saline

rivers such as the Luni river of Rajasthan-Gujarat

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4. Declaration of water as a national asset and ensuring drinking water and irrigation

supplies at highly subsidized rates

5. Private-public sector partnership in educating the public about water conservation

methods and to enforce regulations for maintaining levels of ground-water tables at

sustainable levels

6. Idenifying potential areas for multi-cropping and even upto 4 crops per year with

assured 24X7 supply of irrigation water

7. Use of solar pumps for harvesting groundwater and putting in place measures for

rain-water harvesting

8. Involving the Panchayati Raj institutions as implementing agencies of the National

Water Grid

Power transfer and distribution by switching to demand centres is called a Power Grid. Similarly,

a National Water Grid (NWG) can be created to distribute and make available water to the

unreached. NWG is a way to match demand for and supply of water. By the switching of a bore-

well-pump of opening up a fresh-water tap in a home, demand is created. This demand is met by

ensuring supply from an integrated network of water sources: ground-water, tanks, rivers,

glaciers, desalinated sea-water. Regional grids integrate into a National Grid. The water Grid

concept as a desirable national enterprise has found favour in UK which had the history of a

Canals Age well before the Age of Industrial Revolution with UK criss-crossed with waterways

initially designed as a cost-effective transport system.

Swaccha Bharatam needs 24x7 water to every farm and to every home in 6.2 lakh villages of

Bharat. Together with a contour canal along Konkan Railway, the interlinking can be the core

framework for a National Water Grid in the nation.

The nation is blessed with the greatest water reservoir of the world, the glacier reservoirs of

water of the Himalayas. It is the responsibility of Government of India to reach these waters to

every home as mission is afoot to provide a home to every family. Make most of the landless

families of Bharatam land-owners. This should be the mission of the National Water Grid

Authority.

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The challenge is to increase the area under Command Area of Irrigation from 90 m.ha. to

135 m. ha. to free areas from the vagaries and crop intensity limitations of rainfed

agriculture.

NWDA’s perspective plan for interliking of rivers is estimated to produce an additional 9 crore

acres (35 million hectares) of arable land with assured irrigation under a Command Area.

This additional wet land and 24x7 assured supplies of water to every farm will make Bharat the

granary of the world with four-crop cultivation per year. There is potential for quadrupling

agricultural production from the present level of 250 m. tonnes per annum. With assured water

supply and effective soil health management, India can become a granary of the world to

mitigate world hunger. A bonus will be the disbandment of Inter-state water dispute tribunals by

declaring separate River Basin Management groups irrespective of current or future provincial

boundaries.

If these 9 crore acres of additional wet land are distributed at the rate of one acre per family, 9

crore landless families of Bharat will become land-owners. This has the potential to ensure an

equitable samajam in the nation and provide a new lease of life to the landless and also provide

for employment of millions of youth all over the country.

Every panchayat will be energised into action building irrigation canals within command areas of

irrigation. Employment for 1 million youth for the next 3 to 5 years will be assured

IMMEDIATELY. Floods in Northeast should become history and drought demon should be

brought under control with a National Water Grid. Such a grid operates in UK. Such a grid will

be a success story in Bharat which has cultivated the local entities for millennia as attested in the

Uttaramerur Inscription of Parantaka Chola (907-956 CE), of the panchayat town of

Kancheepuram.

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Development of Potential Waterways

Barring the Brahmaputra (National Waterway-I) and Barak (to be soon declared as

National Waterway-VI), which are being developed by the Inland Waterways

Authority of India, the smaller rivers in the region also have great potential for being

developed as waterways. Therefore, identifying the potential waterways in the region

becomes necessary so that waterway development, navigational aids, terminal

facilities, etc. can be developed. Integrated development of waterways can generate

waterway grid for North Eastern Region that may in future help shift cargo traffic

from road transport to the cheaper and eco-friendly inland waterways.

• Presentation by RITES India Ltd on a report commissioned by Inland

Waterways Authority of India on “Identification of Potential Waterways in

North East India (8.44 MB)(November, 2011) ”.

• Report commissioned by Inland Waterways Authority of India

on “Identification of Potential Waterways in North East India (10.74 MB)”.

[unquote]

Source: http://www.mdoner.gov.in/content/development-potential-waterways

Conclusion

A nation endowed with the Nature’s gift of the Himalayan glacier waters which are still growing

larger in volume in Himalayan ranges thanks to the ongoing Plate tectonics should NOT have

any problems related to the distribution of water to every one of the 6.2 lakh villages, to every

farm and to every home, assuring 24X7 water availability.

This is a solemn duty which has to be performed by all institutions of the country. The

performance of this task is protection of dharma which defines the Bharata Nation.

S. Kalyanaraman

Sarasvati Research Centre

Aug. 13, 2017