Author : J. Prabudoss
When the task force was formed for implementing ILR, they came across many impediments. First of all many States were reluctant to accept ILR as they were afraid of losing their water. Further ILR involves heavy pumping in many places making it uneconomical. This made the task force to look for alternate proposal.
They therefore invited alternate proposals for ILR from all over the Country, received many proposals and reviewed all of them with the help of independent IIT professors. They found that Ganga-Kumari National Waterways Project (NWP) promoted by Prof. A.C.Kamaraj and his team of experts as the “best alternative”.
The NWP harness only the flood water and does not interfere with the utilizable flow of any State. Since NWP acts as water grid similar to power grid, it can impound, transmit, and distribute flood water from any one basin to any other basin at any time of requirement. Due to this unique advantage, every State gets more water. Hence “every state is a gainer, no state is a loser”.
NWP does not involve any pumping and hence no power is required for lifting water. On the other hand it generates nearly 60,000 MW of power.
NWP brings new network of 'smart waterways' operational around the year. The oil consumption in waterways is just 10% that on the roadways. Hence heavy reduction in oil consumption and pollution is expected. China, fearing heavy oil import, has created nearly 1,20,000 Km of waterways in the last 10 years alone.
A major advantage of NWP is that it can be implemented within each State and benefits derived. NWP has been presented to central Government and many State Governments. Bihar Government has already accepted Bihar Waterways Project (BWP) for their State and recommended to National Planning commission. The present Tamilnadu Government has also announced in their election manifesto to implement Tamilnadu Smart Waterways Project (TSWP). The States like Andhra, Karnataka, Kerala are also discussing with our team for taking up waterways for their States.
NWP brings many benefits like smart waterways, operational around the year. It can be implemented under BOOT just like National Highways without any financial strain. Government of India has the constitutional backing to implement NWP just like National Highways.
The Government of India and the people will be greatly benefited by networking of rivers by waterways.