Indian Wildlife Club Forum

The MOU for starting the canal work to link the Ken and Betwa was signed in August 2005. The canal will originate at the Daudhan Dam and four more dams will be constructed in the Panna National Park. These will submerge a large part of this protected area.

A major flaw of the link is that

" The entire stretch of the canal diverting the waters of Ken will pass through hilly and rocky terrain. The land slopes from south to north and from east to west. All the rivers and underground aquifiers flow in this general direction. The canal will block this natural flow of water, leading to water logging in the southern par of the region."

Another expert questions the the very purpose of the linkthat it will mitigate floods and droughts.

"Both Ken and Betwa flood at the same time. The Betwa enters the Yamuna upstream of Ken. If the Ken's waters are added to the betwa, there will be regular floods along the section of the Yamuna between Hamirpur and Chilla. Conversely, there will be droughts immediately downstream to Chilla. The project will not mitigate floods or droughts, it will exacerbate them."

( Excerpts from article" More Development" by Nitya Jacobin The  Hindu dated 21 May, 2006)