NEW DELHI: After taking quick short-term measures to utilise waters from the Indus river system, India has now moved to a bigger plan of inter-basin water transfers by initiating a feasibility study for constructing a 113 km-long canal for redirecting surplus flows from J&K to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. The Centre will also revive the Ujh multipurpose (hydropower, irrigation and drinking) project in J&K’s Kathua, pending for many years.The canal – linking Chenab with Ravi-Beas-Sutlej – will not only ensure full use of the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej) but also help India use its entire allocated share in the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) under the Indus Waters Treaty, stopping additional flow to Pakistan.

On Saturday, home minister Amit Shah said Indus waters will be taken to Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar through canals “within three years” and irrigation facilities will benefit a large area of the country even as Pakistan will crave for every drop of water.Sources privy to the development said the Chenab-Ravi-Beas-Sutlej link was being conceived in a way that it could connect existing canal structures at 13 locations across Jammu, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, bringing water to Indira Gandhi canal (Sutlej-Beas).