7-Dynamic of Inter-Basin Water Transfer - Lessons from Sardar Sarover Narmada Project.

Abstract

Given the macro reality of significant mismatch in the availability and demand pr water with respect to space and time, inter-basin transfer of water through inter-linking of Indian rivers is presently being considered by the Government of India, though at a conceptual level. The Sardar Sarovar Narmada Project (SSP), which is a complete example of inter-basin water transfer project in modern India, has spanned across generations between conceptualization and execution and is still evolving to respond to the changing socio-economic and hydro-ecological conditions inside the basin area and the regions that are likely to receive its water. A review of SSP is necessary to learn about the benefits, costs, issues and challenges involved in large-scale inter-basin water transfers, in the face of the changing cultural, physical and socio-economic landscapes of Indian basins. The rapid growth in groundwater d raft in 1 he donor and recipient basins, t he associated economic, hydrological, environmental, ecological considerations, lack of emergence of alternate strategies of meeting the growing water demand in water deficit regions, and the difficulties in rehabilitation of project-affected people have brought a bout major change i n the way, major water resource projects are being evaluated today.