The debate around cleaning River Yamuna gathered steam as Chhath Puja celebrations got underway. While it is well-known that the Yamuna saw unprecedented pollution under Kejriwal’s AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) government, Rekha Gupta’s BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) government is receiving praises for cleaning the Yamuna in just six months.
While the veracity of images circulating on Social Media couldn’t be individually/personally verified, it was heartening to see that Yamuna was cleaner and not frothing like it does every Chhath Puja.
Rivers gave birth to civilizations
Rivers have played a significant role in the rise and fall of civilizations across cultures since ancient times. All great civilizations have emerged along the courses of important rivers. From the Egyptians and Vedic Bharatiyas to the Mesopotamians and Chinese, rivers have been the focal points of their cultures. They not only provided water to nourish fields but also facilitated navigation, trade, and commerce.
Rivers hold profound cultural importance in Bharat. Bharatiyas revere every river as a Devi and worship her. Beyond the major rivers, even smaller rivers and their tributaries are considered sacred. Because rivers nourish the land and sustain human life, they are accorded the status of mother and personified as a divine being.
An Agrarian Nation
Bharat has been an agriculture-based economy since ancient times. It is well known that Bharatiya farmers depend heavily on the monsoon to irrigate their fields. Any shortfall in rainfall adversely affects agricultural production and wreaks havoc on the lives of farmers. Under such circumstances, water conservation becomes especially important.
In the past, kings commissioned the construction of various water bodies for this very reason. These reservoirs not only served as water storage systems but also helped in improving groundwater levels, which was crucial for raising the water table.
Government and private initiatives
Bharat is heavily dependent on monsoon for its water needs. A lack of rainfall can spell disaster for farmers, especially in drought-prone regions such as Vidarbha. The declining groundwater levels due to excessive borewell construction worsened the situation in Maharashtra’s drought-prone areas. Devendra Fadnavis initiated the Jal Yukt Shivar Abhiyan in 2015 to address the water crisis faced by citizens and farmers.
The initiative focuses on cleaning water bodies, promoting public awareness about rainwater harvesting, educating farmers on improved irrigation techniques, constructing new storage structures, reviving old ones, repairing canals and dams, and carrying out de-silting, deepening, and widening of water bodies.
Essentially, the initiative follows a three-pronged approach that focuses on conserving the available water, preventing runoff and wastage, and improving groundwater levels to ensure sustainable water management. Groundwater plays a vital role in the water cycle, and the program emphasizes this aspect as much as surface water conservation.
Saraswati was an important river in the Vedic Age. In 2015, the Haryana Government initiated a project worth nearly ₹50 crore to rediscover the lost river. The Central government has been running a project to clean Ganga.
The Madhya Pradesh government ran Jal Ganga Sanvardhan Abhiyan from March to June this year. The initiative aimed to conserve and rejuvenate water resources. It involved constructing 5,000 new farm ponds, restoring existing water structures to enhance rainwater harvesting, and training 100,000 water ambassadors.
Besides government initiatives to clean rivers and improve groundwater table, Dharmic organizations and individuals are also coming to the fore to lend a helping hand. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation undertakes the Jal Jagruti Abhiyaan. Through this initiative, the foundation undertakes large-scale river de-silting to increase water-holding capacity, clears riverbeds of debris and waste, and strengthens riverbanks to withstand floods across various districts.
Some YouTubers/Social Media (SM) influencers are doing a commendable job of cleaning and reviving water tanks/step wells in villages. These videos will surely inspire others to take up such initiatives in their villages, towns or neighbourhoods.
The importance of river revival extends far beyond meeting human water needs. Each river carries a story—of people, culture, and history—flowing along its banks. Great civilizations have flourished along rivers, leaving behind legacies that live on through generations.
A river is, in essence, history flowing through the sands of time. Some rivers, like the mighty Saraswati and Ganga, have shaped history itself, while others live on in local folklore. Similarly, step wells and Mandir tanks are part of our history and Dharma. It is our responsibility to ensure their cleanliness and maintain them in a good shape. Reviving a water body is reviving life itself!
