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Year End Review
The Ministry of Water Resources had an eventful year with significant achievements in water related fields including progress made in the matter of interlinking of rivers, Indo-Bhutan Joint Group of Experts on flood management etc. Some of these achievements are listed below:
Task Force for Flood Management/Erosion Control set up, with a view to identify short term and long term measures for effective flood management particularly in Assam and other neighbouring States as well as Bihar, West Bengal and Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The Union Government very closely monitored the issue of SYL canal following Punjab Termination of Agreement Act, 2004 and has made a Presidential Reference to the Supreme Court for advice.
Under the Scheme for Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies announced in the Budget Speech, States were requested to formulate appropriate schemes. 15 States have responded proposing schemes amounting to Rs. 387.00 crore.
Comprehensive assessment of the feasibility of linking the rivers of the country starting with the South bound rivers undertaken.
Negotiations held successfully with the World Bank for funding of the Hydrology Project – Phase-II involving 13 States and a loan amount of 105.51 million US Dollars; and Madhya Pradesh Water Sector Re-structuring Project involving a loan amount 396 million US Dollar. The projects envisage rehabilitation and modernization of 654 major, medium and minor irrigation projects.
The construction for raising the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam upto Elevation Level 110.64 m completed by June 30, 2004 and water has been stored to this level. It has become possible to generate 50 MW of power from the stored water by the canal-head power house.
The joint project office of India and Nepal for Investigation of Sapta-Kosi High Dam Multipurpose Project and Sun-Kosi Storage-cum-Diversion Scheme established at Birat Nagar, Nepal. The project envisages mitigation of flood problems in North Bihar as well as hydropower generation and irrigation.
Intensive dialogue held with Nepal for developing Water Resources to mutual advantage. The Flood Forecasting Master Plan approved. It involves strengthening of the existing cooperation and also taking steps for modernization.
Indo-Pakistan Secretary level talks on the Tulbul Navigation Project (Jammu & Kashmir) were held in Pakistan on 29-30 July 2004 as a part of the composite dialogue between the two countries.
First meeting of Indo-Bhutan Joint Group of Experts (JGE) on Flood Management held in Thimphu and Phuentsholing (Bhutan) from 1st to 5th November, 2004. The JGE had discussions and made several field visits to some of the affected areas in and around Phuentsholing, Gomfu, Pagli and Buxa Duar. Based on these representative visits, the JGE felt that a more detailed technical examination was required and accordingly asked to form a joint Technical Team from each country to look into various aspects and submit its report to JGE by March 2005, for further consideration.
The 3rd meeting of joint Technical Group (JTG) of the Joint Committee of Experts (JCE) of Indo-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) was held from 8th to 11th November, 2004 at New Delhi. The JTG held detailed deliberations to narrow down the gaps on pending technical issues pertaining to both the recommendations on the drfaft Terms of Reference for the Joint Scientific Study and recommendations on the draft Interim Agreement for sharing of the lean season flows of the Teesta between the two countries concurrently with the Joint Scientific Study.
A meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission was held at Lahore from 27th to 29th November, 2004 to discuss the issue of Kishenganga Hydroelectric Project which is under construction in the State of Jammu & Kashmir. The meeting was arranged on the request of Pakistan. The Commission deliberated upon the objections raised by Pakistan and India’s responses thereto, and progress was made towards resolution of the issue. It was agreed to have a pragmatic approach towards resolution through a time-bound framework of three months.
The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) constituted on 2nd April, 2004 with Justice Shri Brijesh Kumar, a Judge of Supreme Court of India as its Chairman and Justic Shri S.P. Srivastava and Justice Shri D.K. Seth, Judges of Allahabad and Calcutta High Court respectively as Members, held its sitting in New Delhi on 18th and 19th November, 2004 wherein the officers from Ministry of Water Resourcesn were also present. The Tribunal mainly discussed the steps taken by the Ministry of Water Resources for establishing the office of Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal and made certain suggestions for expediting the same.
The Consensus Group headed by Chairman, Central Water Commission has submitted its report on the Ken-Betwa and Parbafi-Kalisindh-Chambal link on 16th November, 2004. The State of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have been requested by the Ministry to convey their consent for signing of MoU for these links for initiating action for preparation of their Detailed Project Reports.
Ministry of Water Resources has identified another link under Peninsular Component in Southern India between Godavai and Krishna for initiating action for arriving at consensus among the concerned States on the link.
The Government approved the scheme Critical Flood Control and Anti Erosion schemes in Brahmaputra Board and Barak Valley under State Sectorf in its meeting held on 24th November, 2004. The scheme costing Rs. 150 crores will protect the North-Eastern States including Sikkim and West Bengal (North Bengal) from flood and erosion.
An amount of Rs.81.24 crore has been released as Central Loan Assistance (CLA) for various major/medium/minor irrigation schemes during the month of November, 2004.
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