Devika: North India’s First River Rejuvenation Project

Recently Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that ‘North India’s first River Rejuvenation Project Devika’ is going to be completed by August 2023.

Built on the lines of ‘Namami Gange’ at a cost of over Rs 190 crore, the project was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The objective of this initiative is to protect the cleanliness and health of the holy river Devika.

The project received an investment of over Rs 190 crore, with the allocation being shared in the ratio of 90:10 between the Center and the Union Territory.

Key objective of the project:

• Its primary objective is to ensure efficient disposal of liquid waste, prevent pollution and maintain the purity of the river.
• Also drawing attention to liquid waste management and establishing a network of pipes and manholes connecting the houses.
• Apart from liquid waste, the project also includes an important aspect of solid waste management. It involves the collection, disposal and management of solid waste generated by local communities.
• Proper management of solid waste is essential to prevent environmental degradation and maintain the overall environmental health of the river and its surroundings.

Background:

• The work to revive the river Devika began in March 2019 and was to be completed in two years, but the deadline was extended due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• This project has been included in the National River Conservation Project (NRCP) of the Government of India.
• As part of the Kayakalp project, liquid waste management work is being carried out by the Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) by creating a network of pipes and manholes.

Devika River:

• The Devika river, considered the sister of the holy river Ganga, originates from a hillock near the Sudhamhadev temple in the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir and joins the Ravi river flowing towards western Punjab (now in Pakistan).
• The river holds religious significance as Hindus worship it as the sister of the river Ganga.
• It is believed that the Devika River is a manifestation of Goddess Parvati herself to bring benefits to the people of the Mader country covering the areas between the Ravi and Chenab rivers.

Source – PIB

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