Steel pipes to be used for linking Godavari and Cauvery

Image Source: NDTV.com

The Hindu reported that India’s Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Water Resources Nitin Gadkari has revealed plans to take the backwaters of the Godavari up to the Cauvery river in Tamil Nadu through Krishna and Penna using steel pipes instead of developing canals en route as suggested by a non-resident engineer from Andhra Pradesh. By doing so, wastage of water from canals could be prevented and overall cost reduced. Addressing the BJP meeting here on Monday, Mr. Gadkari said: “The DPR for the river inter-linking project has already been prepared and is in the process of being submitted to the Cabinet. It is estimated to cost INR 60,000 crore.”

Claiming that the Central government was spending 100% of the funds for the Polavaram project and 62% physical progress was achieved with the cooperation of the State government, he said it was his personal responsibility to ensure its completion as per the schedule.

Mr Gadkari said 1,100 tmcft of the backwater of the Godavari river was going into the sea and there was a dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over 45 tmcft of it. He said “To solve the crisis, the Centre has decided to link up the above rivers and once the Cabinet gives its nod, funds will be raised from the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank. It will mitigate the scarcity of water in AP, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.”

Source : The Hindu