The system of dams and canals that interferes with the natural water systems and is often `Contrary' to it, but which currently manages the water resources of the upper Yamuna basin and is project to do so later is shown in the diagram placed at Annexure-1.

Advantages:

Executed at a time when India facing a shortage of food, these projects have a fillip to higher crop outputs by providing the additional water required for the high yielding seeds and high rates of fertilizer used per acre.

Disadvantages:

It may be seen Annex. 1 however, that numerous canals linking the Sutlej-Beas basin to that of the Yamuna and those linking the Western Yamuna canal to the Yamuna itself run diametrically across the drainage pattern of the basin west of the river. This leads to flooding in the upper areas alongwith water-logging and salination and to deprivation of aquifer re-charge in the lower areas, leading to severe fall of the water table. In addition these projects suffer from numerous other infirmities that have very far reaching effects on the people who are to be served by them, as well as on the environment. A comprehensive list of the disadvantage such schemes is as follows:

• (a) High cost and upto 500 % cost over runs.
• (b) Delays in execution
• (c) Depletion of ground water and lowering of the water table.
• (d) Conversion of streams into sewage drains, leading to pollution of ground water.
• (e) Disturbance of the fragile Terrai ecology and destruction of its bio- diversity.
• (f) Uprooting of the people living in the reservoir area, leading to civil strife.
• (g) Disturbance to the valley's natural drainage systems, leading to floods, water logging and soil quality deterioration (salination).
• (h) Destruction of the rivers capacity provide clean water and support its bio- diversity (fisheries) and facilities for navigation and safe tourism and religious practices.
• (i) Management of water distribution is cumbersome and often ineffective.
• (j) Maintenance of cost in high due to siltation, and the life of damsis limited
• (k) The projects are losing concerns, and the high subsidy of water supplied to farmers increases the state's burdens.