(a) whether the Government has set up a task force to look into various contentious issues relating to inter-linking of rivers;
(b) if so, the details thereof including the terms of reference of the task force;
(c) whether the work on the Ken-Betwa linking has started;
(d) if so, the details thereof including the present status thereof; and
(e) the steps taken by the Government to speed up the implementation of interlinking of river projects?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION (PROF. SANWAR LAL JAT)
(a) & (b) Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR has constituted a “ Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers” vide Office Memorandum dated 13.04.2015, to look into issues relating to Inter linking of Rivers (ILR). The terms of reference of Task Force are at Annexure.
(c) & (d) The work on the Ken-Betwa link is dependent upon the consensus and co-operation of the concerned States and upon obtaining various mandatory clearances from Ministry/ Departments of Central and State Governments including statutory clearances. Environment, forest and wild life clearance in respect of Ken-Betwa link have been taken up with Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The Terms of Reference (ToR) for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Study have been approved and accordingly the public hearings for the project were held on 24.12.2014 and 27.12.2014 in the project area. The other mandatory clearances from Central and State Governments including statutory clearances for Ken-Betwa Project are in the advance stages.
(e) In order to speed up the implementation of Inter- Linking of River Programme and to arrive at consensus on the link proposals between the States, a Special Committee on interlinking of Rivers, has already been constituted by the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation in September, 2014. Three meetings of the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) have been held so far, wherein State Irrigation/Water Resources Ministers along with the Secretaries of various States attended the meeting. The Committee after considering the views of all the stakeholders is proceeding ahead to expedite the objectives of interlinking rivers as per terms of reference of the Committee.