PM IAS EDITORIAL ANALYSIS – JAN 09

Editorial 1: River interlinking, the fount of environmental disaster

Context: The political class must recognize that the ambitious idea of river interlinking comes with immense environmental costs, threatening the survival of rivers and deltaic ecosystems.

Introduction: On December 25, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Ken-Betwa River Link Project. Aimed at addressing water scarcity in Bundelkhand—spanning parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh—the project involves constructing a dam within the Panna Tiger Reserve, raising significant ecological concerns. This initiative proposes linking the supposed water-surplus Ken River with the drought-prone Betwa River, in a region that boasted 58% forest cover in 1938. While the intent is commendable, the environmental, social, and long-term economic repercussions cast a shadow over its potential benefits.

A Misplaced Model: The Ken-Betwa Project, estimated to cost around ₹45,000 crore, has been launched despite expert objections, including those from a Supreme Court-appointed committee. It sidesteps stringent laws governing hydroelectric projects, emblematic of a larger trend where technological solutions are championed as panaceas for water scarcity. Politicians now promote inter-basin water transfers as a geoengineering strategy to counter India’s water depletion crisis, ignoring the risks.

The Concept of Inter-Basin Water Transfer:

• Historical Roots: Proposed over 130 years ago by Sir Arthur Cotton, refined by M. Visvesvaraya, and expanded in the 1970s and 1980s by K.L. Rao and Captain Dinshaw J. Dastur, the idea evolved into the ‘National Water Grid,’ later rebranded as the ‘River Interlinking Project’ (ILR).
• Implementation: The National Water Development Agency (NWDA), established in 1982, identified 30 potential river links under the National Perspective Plan—14 Himalayan and 16 Peninsular. The estimated cost of ₹5.5 lakh crore excludes social, environmental, and operational expenses, with the burden likely falling on taxpayers.

Environmental Concerns: The premise of linking surplus and deficient rivers overlooks the irreversible damage to ecosystems and biodiversity. Human-induced disruptions in natural hydrographic systems threaten ecological balance, undermining the well-being of future generations. The unchecked exploitation of rivers risks rendering them lifeless while destroying deltaic regions.

Climate Change Considerations: Climate change exacerbates uncertainties in rainfall patterns and river flows, further complicating river interlinking projects. India’s commitment to combating climate change is at odds with large-scale river manipulation.

The Eco-Services of Rivers:

• Misconceptions About Surplus Water: Policymakers erroneously view floodwaters as surplus, disregarding their role in mineral deposition, land fertility, groundwater recharge, and biodiversity sustenance.
• Deltaic Starvation: Water diversion deprives deltaic regions of freshwater flows necessary to counter seawater intrusion, destabilizing ecosystems.
• Silt Flushing: Free-flowing rivers transport silt to coastal waters, essential for delta formation and ecological balance.

Lessons from History:

• Indus Delta: Alice Albinia, in Empires of the Indus (2008), chronicles the ecological degradation of the Indus Delta due to barrage construction under British and Pakistani regimes.
• Narmada River: Downstream regions of the Narmada suffer from water scarcity post-Sardar Sarovar Dam.
• Global Examples: The channelization of Florida’s Kissimmee River and the drying of the Aral Sea underscore the disastrous outcomes of large-scale river engineering.

The Real Causes of India’s Water Crisis: India’s water crisis stems from inadequate water management, poor environmental practices, legal ambiguities, and corruption, rather than the absence of river interlinking projects.

Policy Recommendations:

1. Holistic Approach: Develop a national water policy emphasizing watershed management and river basin studies.
2. Community Involvement: Engage local citizens alongside hydrologists, engineers, and ecologists.
3. Aquifer Management: Regulate water usage to maintain aquifer health.
4. Farmer Engagement: Encourage efficient irrigation techniques and modern agricultural practices.
5. Wastewater Management: Prioritize innovative reuse programs.
6. Vernacular Practices: Integrate traditional watershed management methods with modern interventions.

Learning from Global Success: Israel’s adoption of drip irrigation, as highlighted in Seth M. Siegel’s Let There Be Water, demonstrates how modern irrigation techniques can save 25%-75% of water while reducing dependence on fertilizers and pesticides. Such approaches ensure sustainable water resource management.

Conclusion: Despite India’s cultural reverence for rivers, projects like river interlinking threaten their survival. Over-dammed, polluted, and commodified, India’s rivers face an existential crisis. A shift towards sustainable, community-driven water management is imperative to preserve these lifelines for future generations.

Editorial 2 : The right to food and the struggle with the PDS

Context: Bureaucratic hurdles have led to the exclusion of a significant number of households from the Public Distribution System (PDS) in parts of north, central, and eastern India, undermining the right to food.

Introduction: Reports from Jharkhand (2023) and Odisha in late 2024 revealed alarming trends in the functioning of the PDS. Substantial numbers of households have been removed from the PDS rolls, a scenario mirrored in Bihar, where a tragic failure of the PDS continues to affect marginalized communities. This systemic failure highlights critical lapses in governance, policy implementation, and social justice.

The Case of the Musahar Community:

1. Ration Shortages: Bihar faced a supply crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving communities such as the Musahars in persistent deprivation.
2. Ongoing Crisis: Marginalized by caste-based socio-political dynamics, the Musahars’ struggle for food security exemplifies the broader failures of the PDS.
3. Lack of Active Ration Cards: Many Musahar households lack active ration cards, while others have incomplete cards missing family members.
4. Biometric Verification Issues: Mandatory biometric verification at fair price shops (FPS) has disenfranchised many, as verification failures lead to their removal from PDS rolls.
5. Disconnect with Priorities: While governments invest in the rhetoric of ‘smart cities,’ basic welfare services remain inaccessible to vulnerable populations.

Corruption in the PDS:

1. Shortfall in Entitlements: BPL households with Priority Household (PHH) ration cards are entitled to 5 kilograms of food grain per person. However, FPS dealers often distribute only 4 kilograms, providing the lowest quality ‘Usna’ rice and no wheat.
2. Systemic Exploitation: Corruption and inefficiencies in the PDS have perpetuated food insecurity rather than alleviating it.

Documentation Without Legal Basis:

1. Application Requirements: The Government of Bihar mandates Aadhaar details for paper applications and additional documents (caste, income, and residence certificates) for online applications, despite no legal basis for such requirements.
2. Violation of the NFSA and PDS Control Order: The National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 and PDS Control Order 2015 do not mandate these documents, as confirmed by officials.
3. E-Governance Gaps: The rush for digitization and e-governance has widened the disconnect between governance and citizen welfare, compounding access issues for the poorest.

Exploitation and Systemic Indifference:

1. Awareness Without Action: Despite awareness of systemic flaws, governments have failed to implement meaningful reforms.
2. Exploitation by Middlemen: Vulnerable groups like the Musahars lack resources to navigate online processes, falling prey to middlemen who charge exorbitant fees (over ₹3,000) for ration cards. Many applicants never receive their cards or lose contact with intermediaries.

Delays in Application Processing:

1. No Guarantee of Issuance: Even after filing applications, there is no assurance of receiving ration cards.
2. Extended Delays: The 2015 order mandates ration card issuance within 30 days, but applications often languish for 4 to 18 months.
3. Impact on Basic Subsistence: These delays deny households access to basic entitlements critical for survival.

Conclusion: The recognition of the right to food as a fundamental right in People’s Union for Civil Liberties vs Union of India (2001) marked a pivotal moment in India’s judicial history. However, bureaucratic red tape and systemic apathy have choked its realization. The government must urgently address these gaps, ensuring the PDS serves its intended purpose of safeguarding the right to food for India’s most vulnerable populations.