Jubilee Post News & Views
Dr. Utkarsh Sinha
Rejuvenation of river is a commendable work to ensure ground water level remain adequate and for future consumption too.
Take example of Kanera river in Babina development block of the Jhansi district or Barua river in Taalbeht block of Lalitpur, Bachedi river in Badamlehra block in Chatarpur, bargi river in Jatara block of Tikamgarh that have been rejuvenated with the support of community. Parmarth Samajsevi Sanstha, A NGO working in Bundelkhand is continuously engaging community for water conservation.
Kanera river
Kanera goes through Chandmari mountain in Babina block of Jhansi district. This river passes through six villages in Uttar Pradesh namely Badaura, Tuka, Sarwa, Bhandara, Patharwara and Daynagar and three villages of Madhya Pradesh including Harpalpur, Chandbani and Janauli. It travels 19-kms and meets Ghurari river.
Locals tell till about two decades before this river could sustain water all 12 months in the year but due to draught in Bundelkhand region the aquifer in the river also dried up. This made it difficult for the river to have enough water.
With the help of people living in villages on the bank of this river parmarth Samaj Sewi Sansthan in 2018 took up the challenge and rejuvenated the river and brought it back to life. Till now six check-dam have been built on this river that includes two with support of the government, three built earlier and one made with effort from Parmarth Sansthan. The river now has adequate water.
Parmarth Sansthan has done work for increasing depth of river and check-dam construction for rejuvination of river along with River Yatra in coordination with organisation of rivers. After rejuvenation the river has water and it feeds irrigation and even ground water level has come up.
Barua river rejuvenation
The 16-kms long river that travels from Talbehta in Lalitpur district and passes through village Karenga and meets river Jamni earlier has 12 water structures. There are 8 nallah that support the river.
The river had water during all seasons but due to obstacles it reached a moribund state. The water structures on the river were broken and this depleted water in the river as water sould not stay for long.
We started a Berua river rejuvenation campaign in 2018. Parmarth constitute Nadi Ghati Organisation and its members alsong with villagers travelled across the bank of the river. The Nadi Ghati organisation, villagers and Jal Sahelis first made attampt to hold river water with sacks of sand. Finally the river is back to life againk to life again and its flow is just as it was in old times.
Sanjay Singh, (Chief Functionary of Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan)
Bachedi river rejuvenation
Bachedi river starts in Chiwla, flows through development block Badamalehara in chatarpur from west to east direction up to 15 kms. It passes through 12 villages.
On its way water from small ponds and nallah meet this river. A major nallah kachra also meets this river. This nallah starts from Heerapur pond and Sewar Gulai pond. River Simiriya Gaon and Agrautha Bund also come in its way that serve as chief source for water in this river. At the end this river meets Dhasan. There are several nallah that feed this river including Ghatoeyya Nallah, Beti Bandh Sewar, Golai Tigdam Dam, Kachra Nallah and several other water structures that feed the river.
At present these water structures are unable to sustain rain water due to high level of water recharge. Hence Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan is working to rejuvenate the river since 2016.
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Bargi river rejuvenation
Bargi river flows through Mohangarh area of Tikamgarh district and the river increases its size at Punaul Khas Shiva Temple, 25-30 kms away from the district headquarters. Farmers say the river used to feed them adequate water for irrigation but since past two decades the scne has changed as the river seems going extinct.
Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan initiated process for a 19-mts long check-dam near the temple and the structure was completed two years before. But due to poor quality of work by the construction agency the check-dam developed fault.
Taking up the task Parmath Samaj Sevi Sansthan along with Welthungerhilfe and Bargi Nadi Ghati Sangathan got the repair work done at the check-dam. This check-dam will help irrigation at 30 to 40 acre land nearby. Also availability of water in the nearby areas will be ensured. This effort by Parmarth Sansthan has helped the river come back to life.
Aiming to bring happiness in society;s weakest and supressed section the natural resources have been utilised and rejuvenation of small river, pond water bodies has been done. This has brought happiness in 50 villages and stopped migration.
