The proposal to interlink Indian rivers has been going on and on and successive governments have only paid lip-service to this proposal. If the plan were implemented (albeit at some cost - some figures suggest Rs. 140 billion, or Rs. 14000 crores) it would benefit Indians in many ways. The amount in perspective (keeping in mind various scams over the last 2 years) seems minuscule indeed!
Interlinking of rivers would enable water transport - probably the cheapest mass transport system possible and of course flood relief through excess water diversion in times of plenty and equitable distribution in times of shortage. The politics of water-sharing will not be inter-state as is now, but will be pan-India and a major headache for the party and the PM in power, obviously. Maybe that is the single most important reason for the proposal not seeing the light of the day. The politics apart, what may be worrying for most people is how to garner so many resources needed for the interlinking. The major resource, of course, is manpower and equipment needed for canals and sluice gates.
As an aside, I am reminded of a very powerful movie Do Aankhen Barah Haath made by V. Shantaram in 1957 which was a socially relevant movie (it is relevant in all ages) and spoke about a police officer willing to stake his career for jail reform by taking hard core criminal-prisoners to a distant place and making them farm land and be responsible citizens. It was a fantastic film and the performance of the actor-director Shantaram immaculate.
The connection between interlinking of rivers and the movie should be obvious now. Pardon, appropriate punishment for rape, death penalty or not, and such like being top of the mind concerns of many citizens and politicians alike, wouldn't it be great if all such convicts of various crimes (from Sanjay Dutt to Ram Singh to Hafeez Sayeed) were to come together and dig canals in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu? Efficient monitoring and fencing them off may be attempted to ensure that these guys do not leave the place. Even villagers which are likely to benefit by the canals can set up watch-and-ward so that these guys complete 8 hours of hard labour each day of their "incarceration".
What do you think? Workable?
Interlinking of rivers would enable water transport - probably the cheapest mass transport system possible and of course flood relief through excess water diversion in times of plenty and equitable distribution in times of shortage. The politics of water-sharing will not be inter-state as is now, but will be pan-India and a major headache for the party and the PM in power, obviously. Maybe that is the single most important reason for the proposal not seeing the light of the day. The politics apart, what may be worrying for most people is how to garner so many resources needed for the interlinking. The major resource, of course, is manpower and equipment needed for canals and sluice gates.
As an aside, I am reminded of a very powerful movie Do Aankhen Barah Haath made by V. Shantaram in 1957 which was a socially relevant movie (it is relevant in all ages) and spoke about a police officer willing to stake his career for jail reform by taking hard core criminal-prisoners to a distant place and making them farm land and be responsible citizens. It was a fantastic film and the performance of the actor-director Shantaram immaculate.
The connection between interlinking of rivers and the movie should be obvious now. Pardon, appropriate punishment for rape, death penalty or not, and such like being top of the mind concerns of many citizens and politicians alike, wouldn't it be great if all such convicts of various crimes (from Sanjay Dutt to Ram Singh to Hafeez Sayeed) were to come together and dig canals in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu? Efficient monitoring and fencing them off may be attempted to ensure that these guys do not leave the place. Even villagers which are likely to benefit by the canals can set up watch-and-ward so that these guys complete 8 hours of hard labour each day of their "incarceration".
What do you think? Workable?
Definitely workable, if governments really intend to do some good for the people. But as long as politicians do just politics, and nothing for the common man, river-linking will remain a mere proposal.
ReplyDeleteAn extract from your post ....
ReplyDelete"Efficient monitoring and fencing them off may be attempted to ensure that these guys do not leave the place. Even villagers which are likely to benefit by the canals can set up watch-and-ward so that these guys complete 8 hours of hard labour each day of their "incarceration"."
Yes, may be workable in other countries. But not in India.
These criminals will bribe their way out of such hard labour, just as Politicians of all variety bribe their way to Power. Remember Suresh Kalmadi when he was in Jail , he became friendly with the Jail warden and was reported to have been having his regular tea and perhaps breakfast too with the jailors.
Call me pessimist, okay with me , I have no hopes for this nation.