LINKING OF MANAS SANKOP-TISTA-GANGA RIVER
RAJYA SABHA
Ministry of Environment
and Forests has not rejected linking Manas Sankop-Tista-Ganga
river project but has only listed out environmental concerns which
need to be addressed in the project formulation exercise for interlinking
of rivers. These concerns relate to submergence of forests, wildlife
sanctuaries and cultivated areas, rehabilitation and resettlement,
siltation, bio-diversity loss, impacts on river hydrology and
eco-system, aquatic aspects, salinity and water logging, ground
water pollution, conjunctive use etc. Such issues are considered
while planning the water resources project.
The concerns highlighted
by Ministry of Environment and Forests are equally relevant to
the inter-linking of rivers as to any other water resources project.
The detailed of objections
raised by the Ministry is, however, ruled out.
This information
was given by the Union Minister of State for Water Resources,
Smt. Bijoya Chakravarty in a written reply to a question from
Shri Abu Asim Azmi in the Rajya Sabha today.
