Centre's river interlinking initiative needs reconsideration: Punjab Assembly Speaker

Punjab Assembly Speaker warns of potential negative impacts of Centre's river interlinking initiative on agriculture and monsoon patterns.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Friday (January 3, 2024) said the Centre's river interlinking initiative warrants comprehensive review and needs to be thoroughly examined, according to an official statement.

Mr. Sandhwan characterised the initiative as an unprecedented intervention in natural systems and cautioned that such projects could adversely impact agricultural productivity and disrupt monsoon patterns.

The Speaker, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently laid the foundation stone of Ken-Betwa river linking project at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh.

"Although the Union government stated the objective of redistributing water resources to drought-prone regions, scientific research indicates such interventions could significantly alter natural hydrological systems," the Speaker said.

He expressed concerns that "large-scale hydrological modifications could disrupt established monsoon patterns, potentially endangering agricultural sustainability and affecting multiple sectors nationwide".

Mr. Sandhwan advocated prioritisation of water conservation and recycling initiatives, asserting the critical need for implementing advanced water treatment and purification programmes.

On the occasion of the 100th birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on December 25, the prime minister had inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects in Khajuraho.