Honestly,this is one of those issues where politics is there,but water problem is also very real ah .
Nagenthran said interlinking major river systems is needed to deal with water scarcity hitting different parts of India . His main point was simple: some regions face floods or surplus water,while some other areas keep struggling with drought and drinking water shortage.
He also highlighted Ken-Betwa River Linking Project,which aims to transfer surplus water from Madhya Pradesh's Ken River to drought-prone Betwa basin in Uttar Pradesh . According to him,this kind of project shows how states can work together and use water resources better.
"The interlinking of rivers is no longer an option but a necessity for our country’s future," Nagenthran stated. And tbh,that line is clearly meant to push states,including Tamil Nadu,to support these projects in name of national welfare.
Few points standing out from his statement:
- Ken-Betwa River Linking Project was highlighted as model for inter-state collaboration in water management.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis on water equity was linked to sending water toward scarcity-hit regions.
- River-linking projects were described as urgent national priority to address recurring droughts.
And Nagenthran also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's continued advocacy for balanced water resource utilization . He said water should be directed to areas facing scarcity so agriculture can get support and drinking water security can improve .
He brought up expansion of Narmada river water distribution network during Modi's tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat,using it as example of how big water management projects can change drought-hit areas and improve livelihoods . That example is clearly being used to say,look,this can work if pushed properly.
But this idea is not new only. Nagenthran traced national river-linking vision back to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee ,who had imagined connecting major rivers like Mahanadi,Krishna,and Cauvery for better water distribution across regions.
At same time,he pointed out legal and administrative challenges which slowed these projects for years . He also said judicial support has recently emerged,which may help push river-linking initiatives forward .
And for Tamil Nadu,this issue becomes even more sensitive because state depends on rivers starting outside its borders . Nagenthran argued that this is exactly why long-term investment in water-sharing infrastructure matters.
Still,big river-linking projects are never simple . Water,states,farmers,courts,environment,politics… everything gets tied together in one huge knot,and question is who will actually untie it without creating another fight…
