Completion of three Yamuna basin schemes only will solve Delhi's water problems- Arabinda Ghose It sounds cruel to say this, but the stark reality is that only when three projects in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarkhand, hanging fire for more than two decades, are completed, water woes of Delhites can be resolved for a reasonably long spell of time. Lack of funds have kept these projects pending all these years- which is the fate of most small and medium-sized water resources projects being implemented by the States since "water" is a State subject under the Constitution. Fortunately, the Union Government has now decided these three and another eleven schemes will be designated as "national projects" which will receive 90 per cent funding from the Centre. The states will have to find the money for the remaining ten per cent of the costs. The three projects concerned are: Lakhvar Vyasi in Uttarakhand, Kishau project in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and the Renuka project in Himachal Pradesh. These three projects, aimed at increasing the flow of water in the Yamuna river are certainly to be taken up with right earnest because they will receive Rs. 750 crores each for the first two and Rs. 500 crores for the third under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) from the Centre. The reason why they have been favoured with such liberal funding is that "these are projects of Yamuna basin important from the environmental, drinking water and Commonwealth Games consideration". Since the Commonwealth Games are due to take place by the third quarter of 2010, enhanced flow in the Yamuna will be ensured by then and the citizens of Delhi may be asked to be patient till that golden moment arrives. During the next 26 months or more, the hardy people of Delhi can be expected to forego such essential chores like taking baths or washing clothes every day. It is not that it has suddenly occurred to the powers that be that only long-term solution for resolving the water problems of the National Capital is to implement these three projects. In fact the Upper Yamuna Basin Authority, which has its jurisdiction from the source of the river up to the Okhla Barrage in Delhi. The schemes were drawn up may be twenty years ago. But the bankrupt States of Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh just did not have the funds to undertake the projects. Now, that the Centre has decided to provide funds for the projects, they are likely to be implemented in time, one hopes, at least for the Commonwealth Games if not for enabling the citizens of Delhi have their daily baths. The other eleven projects being named here had also suffered the same fate till now. The first is the Teesta Barrage in West Bengal, undertaken may be 30 years ago. It will irrigate 9.23 lakh hectares and have an installed hydro-electric capacity of 1000 MW It will require Rs.1400 crores during the 11th plan period under AIBP. Next comes the Shahpur Kandi project in Punjab aimed at irrigating 0.33 lakh hectares of land. It will require Rs 900 crores. The third is the Bursar project in Jammu and Kashmir for producing 1230 MW of power and also indirectly irrigating one lakh hectares of land it will be a storage dam and will impound about one million acre-foot (MAF) of water. The contribution under AIBP will be Rs.100 crores. The second Ravi-Beas link also in Punjab is aimed at harnessing about the three million MAF of waters of the Ravi which flows into Pakistan, although under the Indus Waters Treaty, theoretically, not a drop of the river is to flow out of Indian Territory. The cost will be Rs.100 .crores under AIBP. The Ujh Multi-purpose project to be undertaken in Jammu and Kashmir will cost Rs.50 crores and will irrigate 0.32 lakh hectares. It will have an installed capacity of 280 MW of hydel power and will store 0.66 MAF of water. The sixth is the Gyaspa scheme in Himachal Pradesh estimated to cost Rs.50 crores. It will have an irrigation potential of 0.50 lakh hectares and an installed hydel capacity of 240 MW. The first six projects are governed by international treaty having international ramifications and projects of strategic importance. The seventh, the Lakhwar Vyasi scheme envisages storage of 0.325 MAF of water, will irrigate 0.49 lakh hectares, and have a hydro-electric potential of 420 MW. The Kishau project will have a hydel potential of 600 MW, will irrigate 0.97 lakh hectares and have storage capacity of 1.04 MAF. The Renuka Dam is an exclusively drinking water project with a limited hydel potential of 40 MW and storage of 0.44 MAF. The tenth project is Noa-Dehang in Arunachal Pradesh with an irrigation potential of 8000 hectares and storage of 0.26 MAF. It will have a hydel potential of 75 MW and will cost Rs.100 crores. The eleventh is the Kulsi Dam project in Assam aimed at irrigating 23,900 hectares with a hydel capacity of 29 MW. And storage capacity of 0.28 MAF. It will receive Rs. 100 crores under AIBP. The twelfth is the Upper Siang project in Arunachal Pradesh for which the allocation under AIBP will be Rs. 200 crores. It will have an installed hydro-electric capacity of 9500 MW and storage of 17.50 MAF. There will be indirect storage and its purpose is flood moderation. The thirteenth is the Ghosikhurd Project in Maharashtra with an AIBP contribution of Rs.1400 crores. Its irrigation potential will be 2.50 lakh hectares and storage, 0.93 MAF.It will have a hydel potential of just 3 MW. Ghosikhurd is an intra-State major project having a large irrigation potential and drinking water component. (It is on the Wainganga River). The last one is the Ken-Betwa river inter-linking project with an irrigation potential of 6.46 lakh hectares and storage of 2.25 lakh MAF. It will have a hydro-electric potential of 72 MW. Parliament's Standing Committee on Water Resources (2007-08) in its latest report tabled in April this year has welcomed the decision to declare 14 projects as "National Projects" in accordance with the recommendation in the seventh report on the demands for grants (2007-08) A Steering Committee under the chairmanship of the4 Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources is being constituted to monitor the projects. -NPA