The Indian Supreme Court yesterday ordered the government to implement an ambitious project to link the major rivers of the region in a “time-bound manner”.

The court also appointed a high-powered committee to plan and put into action the Rs 5,00,000 crore scheme.

The river-linking project was first devised in 1980 and has been under discussion ever since, reports BBC.

Bangladesh has been opposing the plan since 2002 as the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee formed a taskforce to get the project going against the backdrop of the acute drought that year.

The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to implement the ambitious interlinking of rivers project in a time-bound manner and appointed a high-powered committee for its planning and implementation.

Observing that the project has already been delayed resulting in an increase in its cost, a three-judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice, Mr S.H. Kapadia, said the Centre and the State Governments concerned should participate for its “effective” implementation “in a timebound manner“.

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to implement the ambitious interlinking of rivers project in a time-bound manner and appointed a high-powered committee for its planning and implementation.

Observing that the project has already been delayed resulting in an increase in its cost, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia said the Centre and the concerned State governments should participate for its “effective” implementation “in a time-bound manner”.

Kerala Irrigation Department engineers accompanied it

The Supreme Court-appointed Empowered Committee on Sunday inspected Tamil Nadu Hydel Power generation station at Lower camp and Vaigai dam as part of its inspection of Mullaperiyar dam here.

Mullaiperiyar or Mullaperiyar? Where one stands on the dam dispute between Tamil Nadu and Kerala can be easily revealed by how the name is spelt. Here, “i” makes all the difference: a letter of the alphabet and also a pronoun that is a damning indicator of subjectivity — an absolute lack of objectivity — on both sides.

The Supreme Court today said it would not favour interlinking of rivers if it causes huge financial burden on the Centre and asked for a report on its costs.

“My concern is only on the financial liability of the project. We want to make it clear that we would not pass order on it if it causes huge financial burden,” a three-judge bench, headed by the Chief Justice, Mr S.H. Kapadia, said.

Following steady rise in level at many dams

THENI: In the wake of a steady rise in storage level in Vaigai and Periyar dams, farmers are hoping that the Public Works Department (PWD) would release water for irrigation of 2.19 lakh acres under Vaigai ayacut in five districts in the first week of October.

Water level in Vaigai dam has touched 62.04 feet with a moderate inflow of 997 cusecs on

104 dams to be renovated on an
outaly of Rs. 750 crore

MADURAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has
sought release of funds from the Union Government for interlinking the rivers

Bench directs Government to file a counter affidavit by June 15

Agriculturists of Periyar River Basin Circle may lose 4,000 mcft due to change in procedure

THENI: A total of 18 wells sunk on Mullaperiyar river bed by private people for irrigation between Arapadi Thevanpatti and Vaigai dam were closed to prevent illegal tapping of water from the river and to streamline drinking water supply to rural and urban areas in the district, said Collector P. Muthuveeran.