Aghanashini–Vedavathi River-Linking Project

Context: UNESCO has advised the Government of India to strictly adhere to World Heritage Conservation norms regarding the proposed Aghanashini–Vedavathi river-linking project.

About Aghanashini–Vedavathi River-Linking Project:

About Aghanashini River:

• What it is?
  • The Aghanashini is one of the most pristine, free-flowing rivers in India. Unlike most major rivers in the country, it remains largely undammed and lacks significant industrial pollution, making it an ecological rarity in the West Coast river system.
• Origin:

• • It originates at Sirsi (specifically in the ‘Shankara Tirtha’ of the Heggarne forest range) in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka.

• State Flow Through:

• • It flows entirely through the state of Karnataka before emptying into the Arabian Sea.
  • The Aghanashini is not a tributary; it is an independent, west-flowing river that drains directly into the Arabian Sea at Tadri in the Kumta taluk.

About Vedavati River:

• What it is?
  • The Vedavati is a significant east-flowing river in South India. Unlike the Aghanashini, which is a short, west-flowing mountain river, the Vedavati is a long, plateau river that eventually joins the Bay of Bengal system. It is a lifeline for the semi-arid regions of central Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
• Origin:

• • The river is formed by the confluence of two streams, the Veda and the Avati, which originate in the Bababudangiri mountain range of the Western Ghats (Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka).
  • The two streams flow east and unite at Pura to form the Vedavati.

• Vedavati is a Tributary of:

• • The Vedavati is a major right-bank tributary of the Tungabhadra River.
  • The Tungabhadra itself is the largest tributary of the Krishna River. Therefore, the Vedavati is part of the larger Krishna River Basin.