Government is contemplating interlinking of river basis along with linking of rivers as it is a more practical approach to water management, Union Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid said.
He said his Ministry “is now thinking in terms of an interlinking of river basins and not merely interlinking of rivers as interlinking of basins is a more practical and scientific approach in terms of water management.”Participating at the consultative committee meeting of his Ministry in New Delhi on Friday, he felt that issues related to water should be looked from a national perspective so as to take a holistic and integrated view.
Khurshid told the meeting that he will take up the issue of recurring floods in Bihar with Nepal when he meets his counterpart shortly.
He told the committee that cleaning of Yamuna river in Delhi is going on as per plans and the Delhi Government has assured him that the goal will be achieved in the next two-and-a-half years.
He said a team of officers from the Ministry will go to Rajasthan for better appraisal of the ground situation there approving various water schemes/ projects, especially in the Mount Abu region.
Khurshid also instructed the Central Water Commission to send a team of experts to Orissa to study and suggest action plan for de-silting of certain small rivers that have dried up in part, the statement said.
The Central Water Commission, which made a presentation to the committee, said it is now capable to provide flood warnings 48 to 72 hrs in advance so that local administration can take precautionary measures well in time.