Subject: Thank You for Reviving River Interlinking & Water Grid Vision for Flood-Free India
Date: October 4, 2026
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Dear Shri Gadkariji,
Namaskar.
I write with profound gratitude for your recent statement advocating River Interlinking and Water Grid infrastructure to make Bihar flood-free. This position represents a watershed moment—quite literally—in India's water security agenda.
Ten years ago, in April 2016, I published a blog titled "Water Wars?" where I warned that without urgently implementing River Interlinking by 2025, India would face civil conflict over water resources—not international war, but internal strife between states fighting for water from Krishna, Kaveri, and Godavari rivers.
At that time, I was dismissed as alarmist.
Today, in October 2026, your advocacy validates every word of that warning.
YOUR STATEMENT (Today): A Water Grid and River Dredging to protect Bihar from floods and secure water for agriculture.
MY PROPOSAL (10 Years Ago):
- Declare water (rivers and lakes) as National Resources, not State property
- Center implements River Interlinking by 2025 without requiring State permission
- Use MNREGA funds to dig 700,000 village-level ponds for rainwater harvesting
- Make Water Conservation a Central Constitutional Subject, removing it from State control
The Alignment is Perfect.
Your initiative succeeds WHERE PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS FAILED because you are wielding the authority of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways combined with water infrastructure expertise. You are not asking states for permission—you are leading.
Why This Matters:
When I advocated this in 2016, Shri Suresh Prabhu was briefly designated a Cabinet Minister for this project. The momentum faded. States bickered. NIRA (National Interlinking of Rivers Authority) was formed in 2023, but faced state-level resistance.
Now, in 2026, you are positioning River Interlinking not as a constitutional amendment (which requires 2/3 majority), but as a flood prevention and livelihood security measure—a framing that transcends state politics.
The Numbers Support Your Vision:
• 400,000+ villages vulnerable to floods annually • 800+ million people dependent on inter-state rivers • ₹50,000+ crore annual losses from flood damage and agricultural failure • Water wars have already begun — Tamil Nadu v. Karnataka (Cauvery), Punjab v. Haryana (SYL), Maharashtra v. Karnataka (Krishna)
River Interlinking solves all four.
Three Specific Recommendations to Accelerate Implementation:
Link Water Grid to ROTE (Reduction of Transport Emissions) — I have separately proposed that NaVIC satellite tracking of vehicles can fund emission-reduction measures. Similarly, water grid infrastructure can be financed through water-tax mechanisms (like trans-tax) rather than raiding the general budget.
Use the NIRA Authority to Bypass State Deadlock — Convene a national water conclave where states present their grievances, but position it as "water security coordination" not "water allocation negotiation." Consensus-building, not committee-formation.
Make the First Project Visible and Successful — Pilot the water grid in Bihar (floods) and Rajasthan (drought) simultaneously. Within 18 months, demonstrate flood reduction and agricultural recovery. This becomes a model that other states will demand, rather than resist.
A Historical Note:
Suresh Prabhu's brief tenure on this project (2018-2019) showed that a dedicated, empowered minister can move the needle. You have the advantage of sustained tenure, institutional credibility from transport projects, and a post-COVID political climate more receptive to climate-resilience infrastructure.
My Request:
Would you consider formally referencing the River Interlinking framework in your next public statement? This legitimizes a decade of civic advocacy and signals to states that this is not a whim of one minister, but a sustained, evolving national priority.
The blog "Water Wars?" published 10 years ago warned of civil conflict. Your vision makes that conflict avoidable. That is no small thing.
With profound respect and gratitude,
Hemen Parekh
Mumbai
October 4, 2026
Email: hcp@RecruitGuru.com
Website: www.HemenParekh.ai
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