Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP T.R. Baalu made a strong pitch for linking rivers in north and south India and urged the Centre to expedite the inter-state river-linking project because of its economic and logistic benefits.
Baalu said despite promises made during the 2014 elections, substantial steps toward connecting water-surplus Himalayan rivers with water-deficient peninsular rivers remain unfulfilled.
“In 2014, Modi ji had promised to prioritise inter-state river connections, including Himalayan and Peninsular reservoirs. However, as far as Peninsular reservoirs. However, as far as peninsular rivers are concerned, not even a detailed project report (DPR) has been developed,” he said.
Alleging a sluggish pace, Baalu pointed out the critical need to link major peninsular rivers like the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Pennar and Kaveri to address water scarcity in southern India.