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Saraswati revival mission gains momentum; Rajasthan forms panel
Ambala: The multi-state mission to revive the ancient Saraswati river, led by the Haryana Saraswati Heritage Development Board (HSHDB), is making steady progress. After the successful implementation in Haryana and efforts in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the Rajasthan govt has now joined the cause.
With the support from the HSHDB, the Rajasthan govt formed a dedicated advisory panel on June 18 to work on the reservation and revival of the Saraswati river in the state. The committee includes representatives from key institutions, including ISRO and the state's water resources department. The initiative gained traction after a meeting at ISRO's Birla Institute in Jaipur on April 28, where HSHDB vice-chairman Dhuman Singh Kirmach met Rajasthan's irrigation minister Suresh Rawat, officials from the water resources department, and scientists from ISRO.
The HSHDB proposed collaborative work to reintroduce water flow to parts of Rajasthan through the ancient Saraswati system. Acting on the proposal, Rajasthan has committed to work in tandem with the HSHDB.
Meanwhile, the HSHDB intensified its efforts in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. It began comprehensive geo-archaeological and hydrological studies of the Tons river, a major glacier-fed stream originating from Bandarpunch glacier near Dehradun in Uttarakhand.
Historical and scientific evidence suggests that the Tons river may have been a key tributary of the mythical Saraswati river described in the Rigveda.
Kirmach recently visited Dakpathar barrage near Dehradun, where the Tons river merges with the Yamuna. Data is being collected from revenue records and scientific surveys, including inputs from geologists, hydrologists, and paleo-channel researchers.
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) and other institutes have also expressed interest in the study, particularly the suggestion that the Tons river may have originally flowed westward into the ancient Saraswati system before tectonic shifts diverted it towards the Yamuna.
Kirmach claimed that according to multidisciplinary research, including satellite imagery, geomorphological studies, and ancient texts, the Tons river, along with glacier-fed streams like Pabar, Rupin, and Supin, were once integral part of the Saraswati system.
He further said the archaeological and hydrological data pointed towards a scenario in which rivers such as the Yamuna and Sutlej were part of the Saraswati system until 10,000-16,000 years ago.
The HSHDB already demonstrated success in Haryana, where water was channeled through a 400-kilometre stretch from Adi Badri at the Himachal border to the Ottu headworks near Rajasthan border by connecting seasonal rivers during the monsoon.
The goal is to expand this revival from the glacier source in Uttarakhand all the way through Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and finally to the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.
As part of ongoing efforts, Kirmach also held discussions with researchers at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology in Dehradun.
