A. NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE PLAN

 

The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has proposed 30 major river link canals throughout the country to transfer water from surplus basin to water deficit basin.

 

The interlinking project comprises of two components

1.  Peninsular component and

2. Himalayan component

 

The names of different link canals under the above the two components are being given below:-

 

Peninsular Links

1. Mahanadi (Manibhada), Godavari Dowlaiswarm

2. Godavari (Inpampali) Krishna (Nagarjuna Sagar)

3. Godavari (Inchampali low dam-Krishna Nagarjuna sagar tail pond)

4.  Godavari (Polavaram) Krishna-Vijaywara

5.  Krishna-(Almati) Pehner

6.  Krishna (Srisailam) Penner

7. Krishna Nagarjuna sagar (Pennar Somasaila)

8. Bensar (Somasaila) Cauveri Grand Ahicut

9. Cauveri (Katalai) Vaigai-Gundar

10. Ken-Berwa

11. Parwati-Lalisingoh-Chambal

12. Par- Tapi-Narmada

13.  Damanganga-Pinjal

14. Bedti-Bharda

15. Netrabati-Hemavati

16. Pamba-Achankoyil- Vaipar

 

Himalayan Links

1. Kosi-Mechi

2. Kosi-Ghaghara

3. Gandak-Ganga

4. Ghaghara- Jamuna

5. Sharda- Jamuna

6. Jamuna-Rajasthan

7. Rajasthan-Sabarmati

8. Chunar-Sone-Barrage

9.  Sone Dam-Souther tributaries of Ganga

10. Brahmputra-Ganga(MSTG)

11. Brahmputra-Ganga (GTF) (ALT)

12. Farakka-Sundarbans

13. Ganga-Damodar-Subernrekha

14. Subernrekha-Mahanadi

 

The cost of implementation of inter-basin transfer proposal prepared by the NWDA, at 2002 price level, is roughly Rs. 5,60,000 crore for both Himalayan and Peninsular components. This includes the cost of power component 1,35,000 crore. The remaining cost of Rs. 4,25,000 crore would be for irrigation and water supply.

 

Out of the 30 link canals 16 will be in Peninsular Component and 14 in Himalayan Component.

 

Of the Himalayan component, 6 river-link canals are directly related to Bihar. They are Kosi-Mechi, Kosi-Ghaghara, Chunar-Sone Barrage, Sone Dam- Southern tributaries of Ganga and the Braahmaputra- Ganga (MSTG) Link Canal. The sixth Gandak-Ganga link canal, is partly related of Bihar.

 

Although the Gandak Ganga link canal will not pass through Bihar, it will make a greater impact on the States flood situation and hydrology.

 

As part of the project, a Multi-Purpose High Dam across river Kosi will be constructed near village, Barahkshetra in Nepal. The total storage capacity of the proposed dam is 9370 million cubic meters (MCM) while is will generate 3000 MW of hydro-electricity.

 

Besides the High Dam, a barrage across Kosi river will also be constructed near village Chatra 10-12 Kms below the Dam, to transfer water to Mechi river through the Kosi-Mechi link canal.

 

Two more dams will be constructed across Gandak and Sone rivers as part of the project. While the Dam across Gandak will be constructed in Nepal, the Sone Dam will be near Kadwan village in Garhwa district of Jharkhand.

 

LINK CANALS DIRECTLY RELATED TO BIHAR

 

i.        Kosi-Mechi Link Canal :

 

The 112.55 km. long canal will mainly pass through the "Terai" area in Nepal. It will start from the left side of Chatra barrage and fall into Mechi river after crossing over three small rivers Bakra, Ratuwa and Kankai through syphon aqueduct. The canal's receiving capacity will be 1407.80 cubic metre per second (cumec) and discharge rate will be 97.64 cumec. The canal would provide irrigational facility to 4.74 lakh hectares of land. Out of this, 1.75 lakh hectares shall be irrigated in Nepal and 2.99 lakh hectares in Bihar. Besides this, provision of 24 MCM water has been made for domestic and industrial requirements of the towns falling in between. As proposed, it would divert 883 MCM water at the rate of 28 cumec to Mechi river for increasing the water in Mahananda river. The canal would also provide navigational facility from Chatra to Ganga via Mechi and Mahananda rivers.

 

ii.      Kosi-Ghaghara Link Canal :

 

The 428.76 km long canal, which will start from the right side of the Chatra barrage, will fall in Gaura river, a tributary of Chaghara river, in Uttar Pradesh after crossing over Tiljuga, Khanro, Bagmati and Lalbakkeya rivers in Nepal and Gandak river in Bihar. The canal's receiving capacity will be 1021 cumecs while it will discharge 67 cumec in Gaura river. The total benefited area through this link canals is 10.58 lakh hectares. Out of this, 1.74 lakh hectare area shall be of Udaipur, Saptari, Mahoitari, Sarlahi and Bara districts in Nepal and 8.17 lakh hectare and 0.67 lakh hectare area of North Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, respectively. The canal would also provide 48 MCM water for domestic and industrial requirements of the towns on its way.

 

iii.    Sone dam-Southern tributaries of Ganga Link Canal :

 

The 339 km long canal will begin from the right side of the proposed dam across Sone river near Kadwan in Jharkhand. The canal would fall into Badua river after crossing over Morhar, Lilajan, Dharmajayi, Sakri and Kiul rivers. Two hydal projects of 3.5 MW and 1.5 MW capacities would be finalised near the junction of Sakri river. The total benefited area through this canal will be 3.07 lakh hectares in the districts of Patna, Nalanda, Gaya, Jehanabad, Munger, Bhagalpur, Nawada, Jamui and Aurangabad of Bihar and Palamu district of Jharkhand.

 

iv.    Chunar-Sone Barrage Link Canal :

 

The 149.10 km long canal will start from the right side of Ganga river near Chunar Tehsil of Mirzapur district in UP. It will fall into Sone river near Indrapuri barrage in Rohtas district. There would be a lift of 38.8 meters, 16.10 meters and 4.4 meters at three different places on route. In addition to taking over substantial command areas of Western Sone High Level and low level canals, this link canal will provide irrigation in 66,793 hectares of new area in Mirzapur, Varanasi and Gazipur districts of UP and Bhabhua, Rohtas, Buxar and Bhojpur districts of Bihar.

 

v.      Brahmaputra - Ganga (Manas- Sankosh- Teesta- Ganga Link Canal :

 

It envisages Construction of 457 km long link canal and a dam on river Manas and a dam and a barrage on river Sankosh in Bhutan. There would be 7 numbers of falls on the canal, out of which 4 nos. of falls are located in Bihar. A total hydro power to the tune of 718 MW will be generated on these falls, out of which 393 MW will be generated on falls located in Bihar. The link canal will provide irrigation benefits to an area of 6.53 lack ha. out of which 2.64 lack ha. are in Bihar.

vi.    Gandak-Ganga Canal :

 

The 639 km long canal, which would start from the right side of the proposed dam across Gandak river in Nepal, will fall in Ganga river near Mustafabad in Rai Bareli district of Uttar Pradesh. It will run through Nepal and various districts of Uttar Pradesh. Though this canal would not cross through Bihar it would make a big impact on the State by taming the flood waters of Gandak. There will be no irrigational facility in Bihar from this canal.

 

B. STATE PERSPECTIVE

 

Fifteen Intra linking schemes were identified for preparing DPR in different stages. In First Phase, preparation of DPR of following 6 intra linking schemes was allotted to different consultants upon their expression of interest.

1. Construction of 2^nd barrage on river Gandak near Areraj and stabilising water availability in Gandak Canal System by transferring water from Burhi Gandak and Baya rivers

2. Construction of barrage at Dheng on river Bagmati

3. Construction of barrages on river Sakri (at Baksoti) and Nata to link both the rivers.

4. Link between Dhanrjay and Fulwaria reservoirs

5. Drainage and water management in Mokama Tal

6. Construction of 2nd barrage near Alwar on river Sone

In Second Phase, preparation of DPR of following 6 schemes was allotted to National Water Development Agency (NWDA) :

1. Transfer of water from Kosibasin to Mahananda basin through Kosi-Mechi Link Canal

2. Transferring Ganga water to South Bihar through Pump Canal Scheme near Barh.

    Flood Sector

1. Kohra – Chandrawat Link

2. Bagmati(Belwadhar) – Burhi Gandak Link

3. Burhi Gandak – None – Baya – Ganga Link

4. Kosi – Bagmati – Ganga Link

In Third Phase, preparation of DPR of following 3 schemes was allotted to NWDA. Pre Feasibility Report (PPR), of these schemes were prepared by Water And Land Management Institute (WALMI).

1. Kosi – Adhwara – Bagmati Link

2. Transferring water to South Bihar through pump canal scheme at Buxar

3. Development of Badua – Chandan basin

Based on pre feasibility reports of above 15 schemes, following 8 schemes have been identified as intra state linking scheme, while remaining 7 are conventional irrigation schemes.

1. Transferring Ganga water to South Bihar through Pump Canal Scheme near Barh.

2. Construction of barrages on river Sakri (at Baksoti) and Nata to link both the rivers.

3. Link between Dhanrjay and Fulwaria reservoirs.

4. Kohra – Chandrawat Link

5. Bagmati(Belwadhar) – Burhi Gandak Link

6. Burhi Gandak – None – Baya – Ganga Link

7. Kosi – Bagmati – Ganga Link

8. Kosi – Adhwara – Bagmati Link