Meet to resolve river-linking project

A high-level meeting will soon be held in Mumbai to resolve issues plaguing the Nar-Par-Tapi-Narmada river-linking project. Union secretaries along with officials from the state water resources department will attend it.

Maharashtra water resources minister Girish Mahajan, in the eighth meeting of the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers on Monday at Delhi, stressed that excess water from the basin should not be allowed to flow into Gujarat. The meeting was chaired by Union minister for water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation Uma Bharti. Mr Mahajan asserted that Maharashtra is not willing to share river water with Gujarat. “We have a dispute with Gujarat over the share of water from Nar-Par-Tapi-Narmada basin. We don’t want to let our share of water into our neighbouring state,” he told select media persons.

The minister added that apart from Maharashtra being possessive about its share of water, it is impossible to lift water from the basin at a height of 600 to 800 metres and divert it to other parts of the state. “The scheme is not viable and impossible to implement. Hence, instead of that, we are demanding equal share of water from the Tapi river to Maharashtra from Gujarat. Gujarat is opposing the solution. The same dispute was raised in the Delhi meeting and Ms Bharti intervened in the issue,” said Mr Mahajan.

As per Ms Bharti’s instructions, a high-level meeting will be held in Mumbai. While it has been tentatively scheduled for February 16, the date might change by a day or two as Ms Bharti has called a meeting in Bhopal on the same day, said Mr Mahajan.

The proposed Par-Tapi-Narmada river interlinking project, aimed at diverting “surplus” waters from parts of west-flowing rivers like Par, Nar, Ambika and Auranga in Maharashtra, is all set to become a major cause of conflict between Gujarat and Maharashtra. Maharashtra has made it clear to Gujarat it does not have “any water to spare”.