Rivers in News

In News: All-party meeting in Rajasthan rejected Madhya Pradesh’s objections to canal project.

• Rajasthan government opposed centre’s objection to halt work on the proposed Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) until issues with Madhya Pradesh are resolved
• An all-party meeting on ERCP, reiterated the project’s significance for the State and offered to send a team of experts to the Centre for holding talks on its technical aspects.
• ERCP is an ambitious project that is set to benefit 13 districts with over 3.5 crore population through the interlinking of the Parvati, Kali Sindh and Chambal rivers.

What is the issue?

2005 agreement

• The Inter-State Water Control Board had decided in an agreement signed in 2005 that any of the two States could use water from its own catchment area as well as 10% of the water received from the catchment areas of the other for any project.

Rajasthan government’s stand

• Rajasthan claims to have prepared the DPR on ERCP in accordance with the Inter-State Water Control Board’s decision and in compliance with the 2010 guidelines of the Central Water Commission (CWC).
• Terming the objection to its project baseless, Rajasthan said MP had constructed the Mohanpura dam on the Newaj river, a tributary of Parbati river, and the Kundalia dam on Kali Sindh river, developing about 2.65-lakh hectare irrigation area in its territory.
• Madhya Pradesh obtained the no-objection certificate from Rajasthan after the construction of dams in 2017.
• The all-party meeting again raised the demand for the national project status for ERCP.

Madhya Pradesh’s Objection

• A significant aspect of Madhya Pradesh’s objection is related to the water dependability.
• According to the agreement between the two States, a project for water supply can be formulated only on 75% water dependability, whereas the detailed project report (DPR) of ERCP is based on 50% water dependability.
• This will result in the breach of agreement, according to the Madhya Pradesh.

River Chambal

• Chambal River is also known as Charmanwati or Charmawati
• The river flows much below its banks due to severe erosion because of poor rainfall and numerous deep ravines have been formed in the Chambal Valley, giving rise to badland topography.

Kali Sindh

Parbati River

• Parbati River is a river in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, India that flows into the Chambal River.
• The river rises at a height of 610 m in the Vindhya range in Sehore district Madhya Pradesh and then enters in Rajasthan and flows from Baran District and Sawai Madhopur District of Rajasthan where it falls into Chambal River.
• It is one of the Chambal River’s three main tributaries, along with the Banas River and the Kali Sindh River.
• Ramgarh crater is located on its eastern bank.

Source: The Hindu

Previous Year Question

Q.1) Consider the following pairs: (2022)

Reservoirs:                           States

1. Ghataprabha:      Telangana.
2. Gandhi Sagar:     Madhya Pradesh
3. Indira Sagar:       Andhra Pradesh
4. Maithon:              Chhattisgarh

How many pairs given above are not correctly matched?

1. Only one pair
2. Only two pairs
3. Only three pairs
4. All four pairs

Q.2) Consider the following rivers: (2021)

1. Brahamani
2. Nagalwali
3. Subarnarekha
4. Vamsadhara

Which of the above rise from the Eastern Ghats?

1. 1 and 2
2. 2 and 4
3. 3 and 4
4. 1 and 3