The Ken-Betwa River Link Project: A Misplaced Model

• Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024 to address water scarcity in Bundelkhand region.

• Includes construction of a dam within Panna Tiger Reserve, raising concerns about its submergence.

• Aims to link the supposed water surplus Ken river with the Betwa in drought-stricken Bundelkhand.

• Costs around ₹45,000 crore, despite objections from experts and circumvents the law allowing hydroelectric power projects.

• The project’s estimated cost of ₹5.5 lakh crore does not include social, environmental, and operational costs.

• Overlooks the eco-services of rivers and starves deltaic regions of water.

• Real causes of India’s water crisis include inadequate water management, poor environmental practices, law ambiguity, and corruption.

• Calls for a holistic approach to watershed management, involving local citizens in monitoring the hydrological cycle.

• Suggests a comprehensive study involving interdisciplinary expertise on river basins before initiating significant water transfer projects.