India, Sept. 4 -- The Ken-Betwa Interlinking Project will transfer water from the Ken basin to the Betwa basin through the Daudhan dam and a 231-km canal.

Global river-linking projects have faced serious challenges, including salinity, waterlogging, ecological disruption, pollutant transfer, reduced downstream flows and misjudged water availability.

The Ken and Betwa rivers differ in climate, geology, channel form and hydrology, raising questions about how both systems will respond to sustained water transfer.

The article argues that river linking must be assessed beyond engineering promises, with greater attention to ecology, river health, livelihoods and long-term consequences.

Rivers have been both the cradle of civilisation and, a...