Discuss how Centre–State MoUs can combine environmental restoration with infrastructure creation. What safeguards are needed to prevent misuse?

On 3 November 2026, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) and the Government of Bihar signed an MoU called "Nadi Sanjivani". Under it, silt removed from rivers is used as fill for National Highway embankments [1]. The MoU shows that Centre–State cooperation can turn an environmental problem into a resource for building roads. However, it needs strong safeguards against over-extraction and illegal mining.

How such MoUs combine restoration with infrastructure

• Flood mitigation: Silt reduces how much water a river can carry, which makes floods worse in Bihar, where rivers from Nepal bring heavy sediment. Desilting restores that capacity and helps recharge groundwater [1].
• Circular economy: About 243 lakh m³ of silt is committed to 16 ongoing NH projects, and 835 lakh m³ is proposed for 27 future projects. This saves fresh earth and farmland topsoil and lowers construction costs [1].
• Solves the disposal problem: The Mittal Committee found that large-scale desilting was not practical, mainly because there was no land on which to dump the material [2]. Highway embankments now take it.
• Cooperative federalism: NHAI implements the work, Bihar's Road Construction Department is the nodal department, and a State-level Coordination Committee approves and monitors projects [1].
• Scalable precedent: Mission Amrit Sarovar already showed that soil dug from water bodies can be used in public works [3]. The Union Minister has suggested extending the Bihar model to other States [1].

Risks and safeguards needed

• River needs vs road demand: Highway fill requirements may push extraction beyond what the river can sustain. The Chitale Committee advised that desilting should not exceed the deposition rate and should be guided by annual sediment budgets [4]. The Water Resources Department or the Central Water Commission (CWC) should certify how much can be removed at each site before NHAI places orders.
• Cover for sand mining: The only checks are joint measurement and digital records kept by the implementing agencies themselves [1]. Site-wise data on silt extracted, transported and used should be published and placed under a CAG audit clause. CAG has already flagged contract lapses and non-integrated flood works, including excess fund release in Bihar [5].
• Desilting is not a cure-all: Desilting reduces floods only marginally [2]. It must be combined with catchment treatment and giving rivers room to spread [4].

MoUs like Nadi Sanjivani show that ecological restoration and infrastructure building can support each other. Other States should copy the idea of using silt as a resource, not the large volume targets. Basing extraction on sediment budgets, with independent audit, can make such MoUs a model of sustainable development in line with SDG 6 and SDG 9.