look news india
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has once again strongly advocated for water management and river interlinking in the country. Addressing a public meeting organized at the inauguration of 33 new crest gates for the Tungabhadra Project in Hospet, Karnataka, CM Naidu said that if India has to be taken to the next level of development, water conservation and interlinking of rivers is of utmost importance. He said with full confidence that the day the Ganga and Kaveri rivers will join together, India’s destiny will change and no one will be able to stop the country’s progress.
Coordination among states and the need for the future
CM Naidu emphasized that water crisis is a serious challenge today, which has a direct impact on agriculture and people’s lives. Giving the example of Ken-Betwa project, he explained how linking of rivers in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh has provided benefits. He said the plan to link Godavari and Cauvery would prove to be a game-changer in meeting the water requirements of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana in future. The Chief Minister suggested that first interlinking of rivers within the states should be done and only then work on inter-state projects should be done expeditiously.
Challenge of El Nino and saving water
Referring to recent weather patterns and the impact of El Nino, CM Naidu expressed concern that the inflow of water into reservoirs like Tungabhadra and Almatti this year is not as much as expected. In view of this, he appealed to all the concerned states to use water very thoughtfully and judiciously. Naidu believes that rivers are not just a source of water, but they are the economic backbone of India and only their proper use can make the country a water-rich nation. He has urged the Central and State Governments to make an integrated water policy in this direction so that disasters like drought can be faced strongly in future.
