Revival of River Saraswati in Haryana

Saraswati Nadi Shodh Sansthan Haryana welcomes the move of Haryana Irrigation Department in inviting tenders for Earth work and construction of pucca structures for reviving the Saraswati Nadi from Mustafabad (R. D. 36284) in Yamuna Nagar district to Murtzapur (R.D. 207000) in Kurukshetra district-a stretch of about 50 Kms. Obviously, this is a step in the right direction on the part of Haryana State Government to solve the water problem of the state and they deserve all praise for their initiative.

It is also learnt that the Government purpose to divert water from Dadupur Nalvi canal to Saraswati channel. This step is alright to meet the problem immediately but in order to solve the problem on permanent basis, the State Government should simultaneously undertake the following steps:-

1.The Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO-Jodhpur) has already mapped the Saraswati paleao channels flowing in Haryana. They should be contacted to identify the spots along the Saraswati channel route where digging merits to be undertaken.

2.The ONGC has already issued a press note that under their “Social welfare programme”, they are undertaking supply of fresh water as a “Corporate Responsibility”. They have set up an “ONGC project (Sararwati)”, under which they have drilled a deep bore in Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) last year which is yielding 76000 Ltrs of fresh drinking water every hour. They have shown their willingness to undertake similar drilling in Hayrana also. They are already negotiating with Kurukshetra University for the last 2 years. The ONGC should be approached to expedite this project in Haryana.

3.The scientists from Kurukshetra University, Geological Department have established that drinking water, as pure as Ganga Jal, is available in good quantities from the paleao channels and the same is getting recharged from Himalayas. The pressure is so acute that water has burst out at the two places in Kalayat in Kaithal district. The drilling of a few deep bores and the revival of Saraswati channel would lead to augmentation of water resources in Haryana and would solve the water problem of the state on a permanent basis.

We hope the State Government would consider the uggestions seriously and proceed accordingly.

06/02/2008

(Darshan Lal Jain)

President, Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Sansthan, Haryana