Khajuraho: On the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Ken-Betwa River Linking National Project, marking a significant step in India’s water resource management strategy. However, the ambitious project has sparked criticism over its potential impact on the environment.
The Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP), estimated at ₹44,605 crore, aims to transfer water from the Ken River to the Betwa River through a 221-kilometer canal, including a 2-km tunnel. The project promises to irrigate 10.62 lakh hectares of farmland annually, provide drinking water to 62 lakh people, and generate 130 MW of power (103 MW hydropower and 27 MW solar).
This is the first project under the National Perspective Plan for Interlinking of Rivers, drafted in 1980. The plan includes 16 peninsular links, such as the KBLP, and 14 Himalayan projects to address regional water imbalances.
The KBLP will be executed in two phases:
•Phase I: Construction of the Daudhan Dam, tunnels, link canal, and powerhouses.
•Phase II: Development of the Lower Orr Dam, Bina Complex Project, and Kotha Barrage.
The Congress has raised objections, citing threats to the Panna Tiger Reserve, a critical tiger habitat. The Daudhan Dam, spanning 2,031 meters, will submerge 9,000 hectares of land and affect 10 villages, according to the Jal Shakti Ministry.
Congress leaders criticized the project as environmentally unsustainable, warning of irreversible damage to the region’s biodiversity.
PM Modi defended the project, emphasizing its role in addressing water shortages in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh while boosting agriculture and livelihoods in the Bundelkhand region.
Infrastructure giant NCC Ltd has been awarded the contract for the dam’s construction.
As work begins on the Daudhan Dam, the project symbolizes India’s drive to tackle water scarcity through infrastructure development, even as concerns over its ecological impact loom large.