Ken-Betwa project: New body to enforce environment management

NEW DELHI: A central steering committee of Ken-Betwa river linking project will set up a body to exclusively implement integrated landscape and environment management plans in the region, spread over neighbouring districts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, that will work for enhancing tiger carrying capacity of three wildlife sanctuaries and protect habitats of flagship species such as vulture and gharial.
Forest dependent communities will also be supported by this body, Greater Panna Landscape Council, around the three sanctuaries — Nauradehi and Durgavati in MP and Ranipur in UP — in the project implementation areas. The integrated landscape management plan is prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
“The move will help to holistically consolidate the landscape for biodiversity conservation and human well-being. It’ll take care of conservation of the landscape dependent species of Panna Tiger Reserve,” said an official.
Headed by Jal Shakti (water resources) ministry’s secretary and comprised of four other secretaries of different ministries including environment, the 20-member steering committee is entrusted with the task to monitor implementation of the Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) as per the tripartite memorandum of agreement signed by the Centre and the state governments of MP and UP.
The KBLP, approved by the Centre in December last year, is the country’s first centrally driven river interlinking project. The project, costing Rs 44,605 crore, will be completed in eight years.