Supreme Court is supervising inter-linking of rivers. The first meeting of the Special Committee for Inter-Linking of Rivers was held on 17 October 2014.
Seeking co-operation of various States in this project of national importance, she said States can discuss their apprehensions if any, in the next meeting of the committee. Uma Bharti said benefits of this project will be immense. Referring to the apprehensions expressed by some environmentalists, the Minister said that the Government will ensure that there is no loss to the environment due to this project. The Minister said she is taking keen interest in the project and will meet concerned Chief Ministers. She informed the meeting that tomorrow she will meet Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis to discuss Damanganga-Pinjal and Par-Tapi-Narmada link projects with him. Supreme Court of India vide its Judgment dated 21 February 2012 in WP (C) 512 of 2002 along with WP (C) 668 of 2002 “Networking of Rivers” had directed for setting up a special Committee for inter-linking of Rivers.
The Government of India vide its resolution dated 13 December 2002 constituted the “Task Force on Interlinking of Rivers under the chairmanship of Suresh Prabhu, a former Union Minister. An expert group from IIM. Ahmedabad set up by the Task Force submitted in December 2006, a Report on “Organizational Structure for Interlinking of Rivers”.
Subsequently, vide Gazetted Notification dated 23 September 2014 the Ministry of Water Resource, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation constituted a special committee for inter-linking of rivers under the chairpersonship for Union Minister for Water Resource, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. The Director General of National Water Development Agency is the Member Secretary of the Committee.