The Hindu : National : “Committed to linking rivers”

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“Committed to linking rivers”

Special Correspondent

Six rivers in Bihar,15 in Maharashtra identified: Minister

NEW DELHI: The United Progressive Alliance government is committed to the project of interlinking rivers in the country. It is also working towards linking rivers within States, Minister of State for Water Resources Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav said in the Lok Sabha on Saturday.

Six rivers in Bihar and 15 in Maharashtra were already identified for interlinking that would help in equitable distribution of water and recharging the groundwater table. He was responding to a calling attention motion by Hansraj G. Ahir on the situation arising out of the falling groundwater level. The Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh governments had signed a memorandum of understanding to link the Ken and Betwa rivers. The Centre was now working to connect the rivers within the States, the Minister said.

The government intended spending Rs. 10,000 crore under the 11th Plan for revival of waterbodies that would help in recharging the groundwater table. As awareness, more than anything else, would help in conserving groundwater, the government launched a massive campaign for artificial recharge with impressive participation by women.

Mr. Yadav said Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh were in the overexploited groundwater category. His Ministry had circulated to the States a model Bill on management of groundwater. So far 10 of them enacted groundwater legislation, while 19 were in the process of doing so.

Nagaland, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Punjab rejected the model Bill, saying it was not required.

Earlier, Mr. Ahir said major industrial houses were overdrawing groundwater, causing the water table to go down alarmingly.

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