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Kosi-Mechi River linking

26th July, 2024

Kosi-Mechi River linking

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Context:  The long-awaited Kosi-Mechi river interlinking project in Bihar is closer to becoming a reality, with the Union Budget 2024-25 allocating a substantial Rs 11,500 crore.

Details

Particulars

Kosi River

Mechi River

Origin

  • Confluence of three streams: The Sun Kosi, The Arun Kosi, and The Tamur Kosi.
  • Mahabharat Range in Nepal

Also known as

  • Saptakoshi for its seven upper tributaries.

 

Flow

  • Trans-boundary river which flows through China, Nepal, and India
  • Trans-boundary river flowing through Nepal and India

Tributary of

  • Left bank: Ganges, near Kursela in Katihar district.
  • Right Bank: Mahananda River, join at kishanganj district of Bihar.

Length

  • 729 km

    

River basin borders

  • Tsangpo River basin in the north, Mahananda River basin in the east, Ganges Basin in the south and the Gandaki River basin in the west.
  • Part of Mahananda River basin.

Drainage

  • 74,500 sq.km, only 11,070 sq.km lie within Indian Territory.
  • Part of Mahananda River drainage which is 11,530 square kilometers.

Tributaries

  • Sun Koshi, Tama Koshi or Tamba Koshi, Dudh Koshi, Indravati, Likhu, Arun, and Tamore or Tamar.

 

Peaks located in the basin.

  • Mount Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma.

 

Projects

  • Kosi Barrage or Bhimnagar Barrage.
  • Kosi-Mechi Interlink.
  • Sapta Koshi High Dam Multipurpose Project.
  • Sun Koshi Storage-cum-Diversion Scheme.
  • Kosi-Mechi Interlink

Vulnerability

  • Kosi is known as the "sorrow of Bihar", as it has caused widespread human suffering in the past due to flooding and very frequent changes in course.
  •  (During the last 200 years, the river has shifted westwards for a distance of about 112 km)

 

The project

  • This project is a green project.
  • Its environmental approval note states the project involves no displacement of population and there is no acquisition of any forest land'.
  • This project will provide a diversion to the surplus water of Kosi River through existing Hanuman Nagar barrage to Mechi River of Mahananda basin by a 2 km long canal.
  • Purpose of the project flood control and  irrigation for over 14 lakh hectares.
  • There are no national parks, wildlife sanctuaries or eco-sensitive zones within 10 km radius of the project.

Bihar flood

Bihar is the state most affected by floods, accounting for close to 17.2 per cent of the total flood-prone areas in the country. Of the total 9.41 million ha, 6.88 million ha — 76 per cent of north Bihar and 73 per cent of south Bihar — is flood-prone. Currently, 28 of 38 districts in the state are flood-prone.

Ken-Betwa interlink project: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/ken-betwa-link-project-38#:~:text=The%20Ken%2DBetwa%20Link%20Project,are%20tributaries%20of%20river%20Yamuna.

Sources:

Downtoearth, Wikipedia.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.  India’s river linking project is the need of the hour which can solve dual problem of droughts and floods. Justify  150 words.