Centre nod for first phase of Ken-Betwa project

In a significant development, the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has cleared the first phase of Ken-Betwa river link project. Union water resources minister Uma Bharti has been demanding early clearing of the project to benefit the lives of people in drought-prone Bundelkhand.

As per the minutes of the meeting held on August 23 and chaired by Union environment minister Anil Madhav Dave, the decision was taken on Monday. The project, with an estimated cost of about '9,300 crore, requires diversion of 5,258 hectares of forest land, including 4,141 hectares of Panna Tiger Reserve.

In order to make for the loss of the tiger habitat, “Nauradehi, Rani Durgavati and Ranipur wildlife sanctuaries will be integrated in Panna Tiger Reserve” and project-affected villagers will be rehabilitated, the minutes said.

Union water resources minister, the sources added, had agreed to all conditions to get the approval from the wildlife board.

The interlinking of the Ken and Betwa rivers in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh is aimed at providing water to Bundelkhand, an area in Uttar Pradesh fighting continuous drought. A total of 10 villages consisting of 1,585 families are likely to be affected by this project.

The project envisages construction of a dam across river Ken in Chhatarpur district in Madhya Pradesh to irrigate 6.35 lakh hectare area of land, drinking water purposes and generation of 78 MW hydropower.

After NBWL’s go ahead, the project still needs a nod from the forest advisory committee and a final approval of the environment minister for implementation.