New Delhi: With the Supreme Court refusing to review its verdict on interlinking of rivers, the Centre Wednesday said it has already initiated the process to set up a mechanism to complete the project but noted that bringing various states on board will be an "unwieldy task".
"We have already initiated the process to constitute a committee for interlinking of rivers based on the Supreme Court order (of February 27). We want to prioritise the five links identified earlier," Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal told a news agency here.
He said though he hoped that various states will come on board, it will be a "very unwieldy and a humongous task" for the government.
"For every project, we will face opposition and protests. I hope everybody comes on board," he said.
The apex court today dismissed the Centre's plea seeking review of its direction to government to implement the ambitious interlinking of rivers project in a time-bound manner.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia refused to have a relook at its February 27 judgement directing the government to "forthwith" constitute a committee for interlinking of rivers.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, September 26, 2012, 22:20