What the Supreme Court reiterated on 30 August, 2004 about its intent on interlinking of river project is contrary to the global trend both in water resources managment and in judicial interpretation of Court's jurisdiction.

"The Cold War era of "the bigger the better", which prompted the construction of 45,000 large dams throughout the world, is over. This thoughtless tampering with nature has left a terrible legacy, not least in my own region where thousands of acres of fertile land have been lost, and man-made catastrophes such as in the Aral Sea region cause immeasurable suffering. The United States, the second most "dammed" nation, after China, is already breaching many of its dams," says Mikhail Gorbachev, in an Introductory article written for Civilization, the Magazine of the US Library of Congress titled "The Global Water Crisis"

Unmindful of the world trend, water merchants are on the prowl in India co-opting seemingly gullible bureaucrats and politicians (the way they did in the case of Enron). International Financial Institutions like World Bank which contribute just 2 percent to our Gross Domestic Product are enjoying disproportionate influence on both our country's monetary and non-monetary policy decisions.

Therefore, it is not surprising to note that our National Water Policy as adopted by National Water Resources Council in its 5th meeting held on April 1, 2002 says: "Private sector participation should be encouraged in planning, development and management of water resources projects for diverse uses, wherever feasible. Private sector participation may help in introducing innovative ideas, generating financial resources and introducing corporate management and improving service efficiency and accountability to users. Depending upon the specific situations, various combinations of private sector participation, in building, owning, operating, leasing and transferring of water resources facilities, may be considered." We are yet to hear from UPA Government whether they subscribe to the Water Policy of the previous Government.

Democracy in the Management of water resources has been always been missing, now even the pretence is being thrown to undertake mega projects. No village, no town of our country needs inter basin transfers to satisfy their water needs. The question which is not being answered...is where did the water of the regions which advocates of linking of rivers vanish in the first place?

The way Interlinking of rivers project is bothering present United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government initiated by the previous National Democratic Alliance government under the influence of lobbies and vested interests is matter of concern for all citizens.

Earlier Union Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar after a meeting with Union Water Resources Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi in May 2004 is reported to have said that the criteria for the project should be the percentage of land presently under irrigation in each state. Adding that weightage should be given to states with lowest percentage of land under irrigation.

In a such scenario civil society must engage with legislators and policymakers both at national and state level to brief them about the megalomania (A mania for grandiose or extravagant things or actions. A mental disorder characterized by delusions of grandeur.) it entails through public hearing, media, seminars and delegations to the concerned authorities.