Chenab-Beas Link Tunnel Project Revives River Linking Debate, Raises Ecological Concerns
SHIMLA: The Centre’s approval of the ambitious Chenab-Beas Link Tunnel Project in Himachal Pradesh has triggered fresh political, strategic and ecological debates in the backdrop of the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
The ₹2,352-crore project proposed in the tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti envisages the construction of an 8.7-km tunnel to divert surplus water from the Chenab basin to the Beas river system.
Water from the Chandra river, a tributary of the Chenab, will be channelled through hydraulic structures and tunnels into the Beas basin.
The project is expected to facilitate nearly 4,000 MW of additional hydropower generation in Himachal Pradesh while also increasing irrigation supply to Punjab and Haryana.
However, environmentalists and local observers caution that the project may come with major ecological and social consequences in the fragile Himalayan region.
The long-pending Jispa Dam project on the Bhaga river in Lahaul-Spiti, which has remained in deep freeze for years due to environmental and local concerns, has again come into focus with the renewed push for large-scale river engineering works in the region.
Experts point out that after the opening of the Atal Tunnel, connectivity in the tribal belt has improved dramatically, but linking the Chenab basin to the Beas river system could pose fresh risks downstream.
Low-lying areas of Kullu and Mandi districts may face displacement threats and enhanced flood vulnerability if additional Chenab waters significantly increase the volume and pressure in the Beas river, especially during extreme weather events and glacial melt periods.
They say executing the project in the geologically fragile Himalayas will be a massive engineering challenge, particularly in view of increasing landslides, flash floods and climate change-linked disasters witnessed across Himachal Pradesh in recent years.
The idea of interlinking rivers in India was first strongly advocated by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to address water shortages in drought-prone and water-deficient states. Political observers say Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now taken a major step towards translating that vision into reality through the Chenab-Beas link project.
Former Union Minister and Hamirpur MP Anurag Singh Thakur described the project as a “revolutionary decision” that would strengthen India’s water and energy security.
He said the project would help India move towards self-reliance and benefit the northern region through hydropower generation and irrigation support.
There are people who suggested that surplus water should be utilised for expanding forests and green cover in Punjab, saying ecological restoration in the plains was urgently needed.
#ChenabBeasLink
#HimachalPradesh
#RiverLinkingProject
#LahaulSpiti
#EnvironmentalConcerns
