India Approves River Interlinking and Tiger Corridor Reservoir Projects

The Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) project, part of India's National Perspective Plan, aims to connect 30 rivers—14 in the Himalayas and 16 in the Peninsular region—to transfer surplus water to drought‑prone areas. The plan cites benefits such as improved water availability for agriculture and domestic use, additional hydropower capacity, flood control, job creation and enhanced inter‑state cooperation, while noting the need for thorough environmental impact assessments to mitigate habitat loss, wetland destruction and deforestation.

Separately, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s Wildlife Clearance Committee has approved the diversion of 411.48 ha of forest land in the Panna–Ranipur Tiger Corridor for the 1,800 MW Panari Standalone Pump Storage Project in Madhya Pradesh. The project includes two reservoirs and will generate green energy while improving local water regimes. Approval was granted with conditions requiring wildlife underpasses, overpasses and road adjustments to protect tiger movement, and it was imposed on the developer Sri Siddharth Infratech and its partner Service.