A Pre-Feasibility Study Is Crucial For The Kosi-Pindar River Linking Project

By Naveen Uniyal

Dehradun: A Pre-Feasibility Report is Crucial for Bihar's First River Interlinking Project involving Kosi and Pindar rivers. The National Water Development Authority of the Government of India is preparing the pre-feasibility report before a final decision is taken on the mega project.

Kosi is a rain-fed river, while Pindar originates from Pindari glacier, and it is water-bearing throughout the year.

The quantum of water in the Kosi River is continuously decreasing, studies have shown. The river is rain-fed, and hence the rise and fall of water level in it is a natural phenomenon. But concerns arose as the volume of water is continuously decreasing year after year.

For example, in the year 2024, 70 cusecs of water discharge were recorded per second in the Kosi River. Just a year before, in 2023, this figure was 75 cusecs per second. Earlier, the volume of water had been much higher at 91 cusecs and 93 cusecs per second.

To overcome this crisis of water in the Kosi River, a project was mooted in 2022 to save this river from drying up. However, nothing has moved, and now only preparations have begun to study the pre-feasibility by the National Water Development Authority of the Government of India.

Uttarakhand Irrigation Secretary, Yugal Kishore Pant, said, "Efforts are being made to increase the volume of water in the Kosi river. At present, the pre-feasibility study is progressing. Considering the importance of the river Kosi, efforts are being made to divert water from the Pindar river into it,” said Yugal Kishore Pant, Irrigation Secretary, Uttarakhand

Kosi River is considered life-giving for many cities and towns of Kumaon. This river passes by Almora, giving it the drinking water into its system and also is a key source for a major part of the irrigation and agricultural needs.

More than 1500 rainwater drains pour into the Kosi River, giving it the shape of a big river. But now, apart from many recharge zones, rainwater drains are also becoming extinct. Due to this ,the volume of water in Kosi is dwindling.

Apart from Almora city, this river reaches Uttar Pradesh via the Nainital district. Kosi River alone provides drinking water as well as irrigation water to 15 to 20 lakh people in Uttarakhand. That is, any decrease in the volume of water in this river will be a big concern not only for Almora city but also for Nainital and some other cities of Uttar Pradesh.

Due to heavy monsoon, the present water level of Kosi is high, and there is some relief but it should not be seen as a long-term solution. Monsoon gone, the water volume in Kosi will become very low.

The proposal was that water from the Pindar River, which flows from a glacier, should be diverted to the Kosi. The Pindar river originates from the Pindari glacier, which is located in Bageshwar of Kumaon division and flows towards Chamoli.

It was planned that a tunnel would channelise water from Pindari to the Kosi River, and only the required volume would be diverted. So that both the rivers remain healthy.

Geologist Professor SP Sati says that 'the project that has been prepared will be very challenging to complete. This is because, for this, not only will the naturally flowing river have to be taken to a new natural form, but its sensitivity will also have to be understood in depth before building a tunnel in the sensitive mountains of Uttarakhand.'

"Before making this project, the government should work on the decreasing water level of the Kosi River and find out the condition of the catchment areas of Kosi,” the professor said.

Geologist SP Sati said, “The government will have to know the geological conditions before making a tunnel in the mountains. This is to ensure that no problem arises in this project later.”

“Interlinking of two rivers can affect the ecosystem. The mountains of Uttarakhand are very sensitive. So the pre-feasibility study of the National Water Development Authority will be very important,” Sati said.

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