Context: The Kosi-Mechi River Linking Project, an integral part of India’s National Perspective Plan (NPP) for interlinking rivers, has sparked protests among flood victims in Bihar. 

• While the project primarily aims to enhance irrigation capabilities within the region, local residents express concerns that it inadequately addresses the recurring issue of flood control. 

• This annual challenge significantly impacts their lives and livelihoods, leading to widespread dissent against the project’s current focus and implementation strategy.

Kosi-Mechi River Linking Project

• Purpose and Scope: The project aims to connect the Kosi River with the Mechi River, affecting areas in Bihar, India, and Nepal. It targets to facilitate irrigation across 4.74 lakh hectares and provide 24 million cubic meters of water annually for domestic and industrial purposes.

• Water Release: Expected to increase water discharge from the Kosi barrage by 5,247 cubic feet per second, a small fraction of the barrage’s total capacity of 900,000 cusecs.

• Management: Managed by the National Water Development Agency under India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti.

• Irrigation Focus: Primarily supports agriculture in the Mahananda river basin during the Kharif planting season.

• Flood Control: There are significant concerns due to its limited impact on flood control in a region frequently affected by severe flooding.

• Local Impact: The minimal increase in water flow is unlikely to mitigate the longstanding issues of flooding and land erosion that regularly affect local communities.

Kosi River: “The Sorrow of Bihar”

• Starts from over 7,000 meters above sea level in the Himalayas, encompassing regions around Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga.

• Flows through China, Nepal, and India, joining the Ganga River in Bihar. Notable tributaries include the Trijunga, Bhutahi Balan, Kamla Balan, and Bagmati.

• Notorious for its unpredictable course changes, which have historically caused extensive damage to agriculture in northeastern Bihar.

Mechi River: A Trans-boundary River

• Originates in the Mahabharat Range in Nepal and traverses down to Bihar, India, where it joins the Mahananda River in Kishanganj.

• Acts as a natural line in the geographic and administrative landscapes between Nepal and India, impacting bilateral water management discussions.

Interlinking of Rivers

• In 1858, Arthur Cotton (British general and irrigation Engineer) came up with even more ambitious proposals such as connecting all major rivers of India, and interlinking of canals and rivers. He suggested drought-relief measures for Odisha.

• The National River Linking Project (NRLP) formally known as the National Perspective Plan, envisages the transfer of water from water ‘surplus’ basins where there is flooding, to water ‘deficit’ basins where there is drought/scarcity, through inter-basin water transfer projects.

• The interlinking of river project is a Civil Engineering project, which aims to connect Indian rivers through reservoirs and canals.

• The farmers will not have to depend on the monsoon for cultivation and also the excess or lack of water can be overcome during flood or drought.

• Since the 1980s, the interlinking project has been managed by India’s National Water Development Agency (NWDA) under the Ministry of Water Resources.

It has been split into three parts as follows:

• A northern Himalayan river interlink component.

• A southern peninsular component.

• An Intra-State river linking component.