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UPA now admits Saraswati existed
Rajesh Singh/Santanu Banerjee | New Delhi
Earlier, had refused to agree despite Govt agencies confirming existence of river
In a significant shift from its earlier stand that probes conducted so far showed no trace of the mythical river, the Union Government has recently admitted that scientists have discovered water channels indicating “beyond doubt” the existence of the “Vedic Saraswati.”
The Government’s fresh submission came in response to an unstarred question in Rajya Sabha on December 3 by Prakash Javadekar (BJP), who wanted to know whether satellite images had “established the underground track of Saraswati, and if so, why should the precious water resources not be exploited to meet growing demands.”
To this, the Union Water Resources Ministry quoted in writing the conclusion of a study jointly conducted by scientists of ISRO, Jodhpur and the Rajasthan Government’s Ground Water Department, published in the Journal of Indian Society of Remote Sensing. Besides other things, the authors had said that “clear signals of palaeo-channels on the satellite imagery in the form of a strong and powerful continuous drainage system in the North-West region and occurrence of archaeological sites of pre-Harappan, Harappan and post-Harappan ages beyond doubt indicate the existence of a mighty palaeo-drainage system of the Vedic Saraswati river in this region… The description and magnanimity of these channels also matches with the river Saraswati described in the Vedic literature.”
A leading educationist and currently chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Yash Pal, who had published in 1980 in his own words “a small paper on the existence of Saraswati river which attracted attention,” concurred with the view. “Surveys so far have brought out clearly the path the river had taken when in flow,” the national research professor told The Pioneer. He did a stint with ISRO (which has played a pivotal role in the probes so far) from 1973-1980 where he set up the Space Application Centre.
On whether the Union Government should assume a proactive role on the issue of reviving the river to tackle the water shortages, he said, “With advancement of technology more research should be conducted. The river was not lost yesterday; perhaps due to tectonic shifts it disappeared ten thousand years ago. We have to keep these issues in mind.”
All through its tenure until now, the UPA Government had denied the existence of the mystery river. Then Culture Minister Jaipal Reddy had told Parliament that excavations conducted so far at nine sites had not revealed any trace of the lost river Saraswati. He stated that the UPA Government had not extended the sanction for the project given by the NDA Government. Giving a progress report of the Saraswati River Heritage Project launched by the NDA Government, he had said that though the project report was prepared in September 2003 envisaging a cost of Rs 36.02 crore, it was later slashed to Rs 4.98 crore.
The Leftists, who commanded great influence over the first five years of the UPA regime, too, were dismissive of the evidences. Senior leaders even castigated probe agencies for ‘wasting’ time and money over the study of the mystery river. Three years ago, senior CPI(M) leader and Politburo member Sitaram Yechury slammed the ASI for its efforts.
A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, which he headed in 2006, said, “The ASI has deviated in its working and has failed in spearheading a scientific discipline of archaeology. A scientific institution like the ASI did not proceed correctly in this matter.”
These assertions had come despite mounting evidence of the river collected by central agencies such as Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Geological Survey of India (GSI), Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and the Central Groundwater Authority (under the Water Resources Ministry). The Government had also failed to acknowledge expert opinion that the river’s revival could tackle the increasing water demands of more than 20 crore people in the North-West region of the country.
The first national impetus for research on Saraswati came during the NDA regime when the then Union Culture Minister Jagmohan in June 2002 announced excavations to trace the river’s course. He named a team of four experts - Baldeo Sahai of ISRO, Ahmedabad, archaeologist S Kalyan Raman, glaciologist Y K Puri and water consultant Madhav Chitle - for the task. But even earlier, States like Haryana had begun their study of the ‘underground river.’
Talking of the progress, SL Aggarwal, an official in Haryana Irrigation Department said, “Work on the 3.5 km stretch of river Saraswati between Jyotisar and Bibipur would be completed in one-and-a-half months and then we would be able to revive the ancient river and be able to use the water for irrigation purposes.” The Haryana Government recently sanctioned Rs 10.05 crore for the project of revival of the river, with the Oil and Natural Gas Commission carrying out geophysical and geoelectric surveys for drilling of wells in association with Kurukshetra University for exploratory purposes.
A non-government organisation (NGO), Saraswati Nadi Sodh Sansthan, has also been working for the revival of the ancient river through its entire track. Two seminars were held on this issue on October 22, 2008 and November 21, 2009 at Kurukshetra where representatives from ONGC, Geological Survey of India and Indian Space Research Organisation were invited.
Rajasthan too has been an active participant in the project. Some four decades ago the Archeological Survey of India (GSI) had conducted excavations at a village named Kalibanga in Srigananagar district of Rajasthan, unearthing a full- fledged township beneath a mound, locally called ‘Thed.’
The ASI researchers came to the conclusion that the sight belonged to the Harappan period. Subsequent studies revealed that this flourishing town was situated on the banks of the Saraswati which once flowed from this part of the Rajasthan desert.
About two decades ago, scientists at Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI) at Jodhpur launched a project to track down the traces. They concluded that the ancient channels were a dead river that could well be Saraswati. Interestingly, here, the ancient texts and the geographical history of the region were constant bases of reference of the studies.
Analyses of images earlier taken by the American satellite Landsat in the 1970’s clearly showed the presence of underground water in a definitive pattern in the Jaisalmer region. As part of the project, then, underground water researchers were asked to dig bore wells at places from where this lost river used to flow. They selected Chandan Lathi near Jaisalmer for this purpose.
To the surprise of researchers, the water found after digging the bore wells at places on the course of the river was not only sweet but available in plenty. Encouraged by this discovery, they dug two dozen bore well in the area, from where the river used to flow, and in all of them they found sweet water.
A few years later Dr Vakankar, a noted historian, as part his Itihas Sanklan Yojna, visited this and other sites linked with the river. Together with another expert Moropant Pingle, he concluded that the Saraswati used to flow from this part of Rajasthan, Sirsa in Haryana, Bhatinda in Punjab and Srigangangar district in Rajasthan.
With the Government indicating a shift in its position, it remains to be seen whether the research work by central agencies that had come to a near halt, will now resume.
-- With inputs from Lokpal Sethi in Jaipur and Nishu Mahajan in Chandigarh
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UPA now admits Saraswati existed
By Sanjay Rathee on 12/13/2009 10:51:42 PM
The Truth always prevails & UPA is not the official historian of India, they also denied the existence of Ram setu which is clearly visible man made structure like wall of china from the NASA US satellite pictures.......
UPA now admits Saraswati existed
By N.S. Rajaram on 12/13/2009 7:14:25 AM
The existence or not of the Sarasvati River is a scientific matter. what has the UPA or any other government got to do with it? Is the government next going to rule that the Himalayas exist-- or not?
This is a damning indictment of the deterioration of intellectual life under the influence of politics. First we had government support for the Aryn myth long after its creators, the Germans had given up on it. The Tamil Nadu politicians have still not given up on it.
UPA now admits Saraswati existed
By Anil on 12/13/2009 1:17:09 AM
Truth is truth, Sarswati River is a truth, and it is a historic storm that changes our wrong history.
UPA now admits Saraswati existed
By Ratnesh Tripathi on 12/14/2009 5:50:09 PM
All of Pakistan's Genealogy (WORLD HISTORY) starts from 1947 and nothing exists before that. Likewise Congress's history starts only as far as they can see - nothing exists before that (Previously they concluded Ram is a mythical character).
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ratnesh tripathi
गुरुवार, 24 दिसंबर 2009
बुधवार, 10 दिसंबर 2008
सरस्वती नदी व हिन्दू सभ्यता
आमुख :
"सरस्वती" अपने में ही यह इतना व्यापक स्वरुप है जिसका नाम लेने मात्र से ही इसके विविध गुणों का स्वयं ही विशाल रूप उपस्थित हो जाता है। और यह दशा केवल उनकी ही नहीं है जो शिक्षित हैं और सरस्वती के बारे में अध्ययन प्राप्त हैं अपितु भारत वर्ष का एक अनपढ़ किसान भी जिसने कभी पुस्तकों का मुह तक नहीं देखा वह भी सरस्वती के विविध गुणों को जानता है और बखान करता है परन्तु उसका ज्ञान वर्त्तमान में मात्र इतना है की - कभी यह मां सरस्वती विशाल नदी के रूप में इस पावन धरती पर बहती थीं किन्तु वह सदियों पहले विलुप्त हो चुकी हैं एवं वर्त्तमान में प्रयाग के संगम में विद्यमान हैं। अतः भारत के एक सामान्य नागरिक के मन में भी माँ सरस्वती के प्रति कोई संशय नहीं है। और इसी का परिणाम है कि अपने कुछ ऋषि तुल्य विद्दानों व् इतिहासकारों ने अपने निरंतर प्रयासों से वेदों में वर्णित सरस्वती नदी को पुनर्जीवित करने के (विगत ३० वर्षों ) से प्रयासरत हैं। वर्त्तमान में जिसका परिणाम यह है कि अब सरस्वती नदी केवल वेदों में ही नहीं बल्कि साक्षात् पृथ्वी पर पुनः प्रकट हो गयीं हैं। और अब कुछ अभारतीय विद्दानो द्वारा उपस्थित किये गए संशय के प्रश्न स्वतः ही निर्मूल हो गये हैं।
"सरस्वती" अपने में ही यह इतना व्यापक स्वरुप है जिसका नाम लेने मात्र से ही इसके विविध गुणों का स्वयं ही विशाल रूप उपस्थित हो जाता है। और यह दशा केवल उनकी ही नहीं है जो शिक्षित हैं और सरस्वती के बारे में अध्ययन प्राप्त हैं अपितु भारत वर्ष का एक अनपढ़ किसान भी जिसने कभी पुस्तकों का मुह तक नहीं देखा वह भी सरस्वती के विविध गुणों को जानता है और बखान करता है परन्तु उसका ज्ञान वर्त्तमान में मात्र इतना है की - कभी यह मां सरस्वती विशाल नदी के रूप में इस पावन धरती पर बहती थीं किन्तु वह सदियों पहले विलुप्त हो चुकी हैं एवं वर्त्तमान में प्रयाग के संगम में विद्यमान हैं। अतः भारत के एक सामान्य नागरिक के मन में भी माँ सरस्वती के प्रति कोई संशय नहीं है। और इसी का परिणाम है कि अपने कुछ ऋषि तुल्य विद्दानों व् इतिहासकारों ने अपने निरंतर प्रयासों से वेदों में वर्णित सरस्वती नदी को पुनर्जीवित करने के (विगत ३० वर्षों ) से प्रयासरत हैं। वर्त्तमान में जिसका परिणाम यह है कि अब सरस्वती नदी केवल वेदों में ही नहीं बल्कि साक्षात् पृथ्वी पर पुनः प्रकट हो गयीं हैं। और अब कुछ अभारतीय विद्दानो द्वारा उपस्थित किये गए संशय के प्रश्न स्वतः ही निर्मूल हो गये हैं।
मंगलवार, 9 दिसंबर 2008
हरियाणा में सरस्वती नदी का पुनर्जीवन
A section of the freshly demarcated course of the Saraswati river in Haryana
SARASWATI: REVIVAL
A River's Sutra
A born-again Saraswati is dug for Haryana
Riparian Remodelling
Haryana's Congress government has demarcated 52 km of the Saraswati river's presumed ancient course from Gajnala to Pipli
Rs 10 crore has been sanctioned, with plans to constitute a Saraswati Development Authority
Huge benefits are linked to the project
When the BJP-led NDA government launched a project to revive the ancient—some say mythical—river Saraswati in 2002, it attracted much flak for wasting public money in an attempt to rewrite history. But six years later the Saraswati project has sprung back—this time with the blessings of the Haryana government, now run by the Congress which was once critical of it. And collaborating closely with the state government is Darshan Lal Jain, president of Haryana-based Saraswati Nadi Shodh Sansthan (SNSS) and RSS state president till 2007.
Last month, Haryana's irrigation department finished digging up and demarcating 52 km of what it claims is the ancient river's course in Kurukshetra. "Saraswati is a sacred river of great importance," says state irrigation minister Captain Ajay Singh Yadav. "Satellite images have shown its course runs along with the Ghuggar river. Our goal is to develop it as a proper river. " The department even organised a national seminar last month—where Jain shared the dais with Yadav—on Saraswati's revival. The reasons behind the project are twofold: recharge plummeting groundwater levels and develop religious tourism around the river's course in Haryana. Ground water levels have touched as low as 150 feet here. Therefore, unlike many brick-lined canals, the walls of the new river's course would be left untouched to allow water to permeate into the ground and recharge nearby water levels.
The 'spiritual' and electoral benefits of the project could be enormous in Haryana, where the river is often described as the "poor man's Ganga". "The river exists for us here. All people want is its revival and proper upkeep. Even the state government did not doubt its existence. All they asked us was how its revival would benefit the state," says Jain. The official acknowledgement from the government with a plan to revive the Saraswati has encouraged groups like SNSS and the Chennai-based Saraswati Research Centre, who have been campaigning to revive the river they claim once flowed a thousand years ago from Mansarovar to the Rann of Kutch.
The evidence presented to the state include Survey of India maps, British-era revenue records with the river's course, satellite images showing existence of palaeochannels (dried beds of ancient rivers) and geological proof of an ancient Himalayan river flowing southwest through Haryana. "We found very angular dense minerals found in the Himalayas from riverbed soil samples in Haryana. Since they are sharp it means they were carried in suspension by a turbulent volume of water," says A.R. Chaudhri, professor of geology at Kurukshetra University. Subsequently, Vedic references to the river's locations were mapped to show how they correspond with the satellite images of the river course.
Denying any knowledge of D.L. Jain's link with the RSS, Yadav says the river's revival is not driven just by Jain or the RSS. "There are many others who have been campaigning for its revival. We are working on it only because we are convinced of the benefits," he clarifies. Jain, says his goal is to see the Saraswati flow, at least across Haryana, before his death. With a cooperative government at the state, that dream is apparently closer to reality than ever.
SARASWATI: REVIVAL
A River's Sutra
A born-again Saraswati is dug for Haryana
Riparian Remodelling
Haryana's Congress government has demarcated 52 km of the Saraswati river's presumed ancient course from Gajnala to Pipli
Rs 10 crore has been sanctioned, with plans to constitute a Saraswati Development Authority
Huge benefits are linked to the project
When the BJP-led NDA government launched a project to revive the ancient—some say mythical—river Saraswati in 2002, it attracted much flak for wasting public money in an attempt to rewrite history. But six years later the Saraswati project has sprung back—this time with the blessings of the Haryana government, now run by the Congress which was once critical of it. And collaborating closely with the state government is Darshan Lal Jain, president of Haryana-based Saraswati Nadi Shodh Sansthan (SNSS) and RSS state president till 2007.
Last month, Haryana's irrigation department finished digging up and demarcating 52 km of what it claims is the ancient river's course in Kurukshetra. "Saraswati is a sacred river of great importance," says state irrigation minister Captain Ajay Singh Yadav. "Satellite images have shown its course runs along with the Ghuggar river. Our goal is to develop it as a proper river. " The department even organised a national seminar last month—where Jain shared the dais with Yadav—on Saraswati's revival. The reasons behind the project are twofold: recharge plummeting groundwater levels and develop religious tourism around the river's course in Haryana. Ground water levels have touched as low as 150 feet here. Therefore, unlike many brick-lined canals, the walls of the new river's course would be left untouched to allow water to permeate into the ground and recharge nearby water levels.
The 'spiritual' and electoral benefits of the project could be enormous in Haryana, where the river is often described as the "poor man's Ganga". "The river exists for us here. All people want is its revival and proper upkeep. Even the state government did not doubt its existence. All they asked us was how its revival would benefit the state," says Jain. The official acknowledgement from the government with a plan to revive the Saraswati has encouraged groups like SNSS and the Chennai-based Saraswati Research Centre, who have been campaigning to revive the river they claim once flowed a thousand years ago from Mansarovar to the Rann of Kutch.
The evidence presented to the state include Survey of India maps, British-era revenue records with the river's course, satellite images showing existence of palaeochannels (dried beds of ancient rivers) and geological proof of an ancient Himalayan river flowing southwest through Haryana. "We found very angular dense minerals found in the Himalayas from riverbed soil samples in Haryana. Since they are sharp it means they were carried in suspension by a turbulent volume of water," says A.R. Chaudhri, professor of geology at Kurukshetra University. Subsequently, Vedic references to the river's locations were mapped to show how they correspond with the satellite images of the river course.
Denying any knowledge of D.L. Jain's link with the RSS, Yadav says the river's revival is not driven just by Jain or the RSS. "There are many others who have been campaigning for its revival. We are working on it only because we are convinced of the benefits," he clarifies. Jain, says his goal is to see the Saraswati flow, at least across Haryana, before his death. With a cooperative government at the state, that dream is apparently closer to reality than ever.
गुरुवार, 13 नवंबर 2008
Vedic River Sarasvati of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Water Resources Management
Background
Vedic Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Sansthan, Jodhpur, Rajasthan has been engaged in the historical search for Vedic River Sarasvati in coordination with a number of scientists and scholars including the remarkable cooperation received from Regional Remote Sensing Services Centre (Dr. JR Sharma, Director), Jodhpur of Indian Space Research Organization. The results of researches have been compiled in a 7 volume encyclopaedic work called Sarasvati (Bangalore, Babasaheb Apte Smarak Samiti, 2004), sponsored by Akhil Bharatiya Itihasa Sankalana Yojana, Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Prakalp (Director, Dr. S. Kalyanaraman, Former Sr. Exec., Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines).
Executive Summary
The principal issues related to Water Resources Management in Rajasthan discussed in this note, with particular reference to Rajasthan, are as follows:
1. Ground Water Resources. Creation of sustainable ground-water resource extraction and application systems using space technologies for identification of water-logging locations and ground-water aquifers which are just below 30 to 60 m. below the surface, now subject to slow recharge from northerly sources (as demonstrated by Dr. SL Rao and Kulkarni of BARC, Mumbai); and using percolation tanks to recharge groundwater resources. (A technical geo-morphology report prepared by Dr. KR Srinivasan, Former Director, Central Ground Water Board for Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Prakalp which establishes the possibility of 10 lakh tube wells in central Rajasthan alone is attached for reference).
2. Water use regulation and integrated forest development. Regulated use of surface water resources from the Himalayan glaciers by expanding the Rajasthan Nahar (Sarasvati Mahanadi Rupa Nahar as it is called at the zero-point, Mohangarh, 55 kms. northwest of Jaisalmer) with percolation tanks to integrate with groundwater resources, together with the joint efforts of Forestry and Arid Zone agriculture experts in breaking the winds, stabilization of the sand-dune areas and forestation of the region with water-conserving cash plantations such as Almonds, Dates, Walnuts and creation of pastures for sustaining the livestock wealth, including the use of the special-purse water-conserving gumla developed by CAZRI. Stabilisation of sand dunes and wind-breaking are critical to avoid dune formation on top of the Nahar system resulting in desilting problems. Photo: Sarasvati Mahanadi Rupa Nahar, Mohangarh; 40 ft. wide, 12 ft. deep (Feb. 2002)
3. Desalination of saline water bodies. Considering the high levels of salt concentrations in many parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, desalination of saline water bodies in the entire Rajasthan area (also, coastline of Gujarat) using the indigenously developed Desalination Plant (Dr. Bhattacharjee, Kalpakkam Atomic Power Station), semi-permeable membrane is a cost-effective alternative, costing only 4.5 paise per litre; for example, the entire Luni River waters can be desalinated and rendered potable and fit for irrigation and drinking along the river basin.
4. Sharada-Sabarmati canal link. According priority to the link developed by National Water Development Agency (NWDA) of Ministry of Water Resources, Govt. of India to create Sharada-Sabarmati canal link (across an aqueduct crossing Yamuna river) to augment the water resources available in the Rajasthan Nahar, making the Nahar a navigable channel to create a waterway and promote tourism in the erstwhile Sarasvati River Basin, and enabling the extension of the Nahar upto River Sabarmati. The components detailed in the Perspective Plan Map (attached) are: E. Sarada-Yamuna; F. Yamuna-Sirsa branch of Western Yamuna Canal (Rajasthan); G. Ganga-Sirhind Canal; H. Tajewala-Bhakra; I. Harike Tailend of Rajasthan Canal; J. Extension of Rajasthan Canal to Sabarmati. Work has already started for 18,000 MW of hydro-electric power generation along the Mahakali-Karnali-Sharada river system in Nepal; the prioritization of the link under the Perspective Plan of NWDA will help rejuvenate the entire North-west India Drainage System. This will provide an impetus to the creation of a National Water Grid under the Perspective Plan to reach glacial waters to all parts of the country and to make all monsoon-based rivers into perennial river systems allowing for three crops per year along the delta areas.
5. Cooperation between Gujarat and Rajasthan. With mutual cooperation among the river basin states, it should be possible to regulate the use of scarce water resources for mutual benefit. An example is the possible sharing of Narmada Canal and Rajasthan Nahar waters between the States of Gujarat and Rajasthan. The areas of Kutch and Saurashtra in Gujarat are short of even drinking water and the extension of the Rajasthan Nahar into Kutch will help Gujarat with the operational imperative: Ghare Ghare Maa Sarasvati; Ane, Khetare Khetare Maa Narmada. For this sharing to be sustainable, the link mentioned above of Sharada-Yamuna aqueduct gains urgency. It is suggested that Governments of Rajasthan and Gujarat bring the urgency to the notice of the Central Government highlighting the immense potential benefits which will accrue to the States of Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat with the immediate implementation of this Sharada-Yamuna link under the Perspective Plan which is being implemented in phases.
6. Use of Space technology for water resource management. Continued and expanded use of the technology facilities provided by RRSSC, Jodhpur (ISRO) to identify water-logging regions, to identify the ancient courses of Sarasvati River System, to indicate the groundwater resources which can be tapped in a sustainable manner and to monitor the land-use with water-efficient agro-plantation-pasture- cultivation and forest systems. The techniques developed by RRSSC have been proved on the ground by the Sarasvati Project launched by Central Ground Water Authority (when Dr. DK Chaddha was the Chairman). The location of groundwater resources is scientifically proven in relation to: 1. palaeo or ancient-channels of River Sarasvati system; 2. proximity to fault-lines; and 3. proximity to ancient archaeological sites (there are over 2,000 such sites all along the River Sarasvati). Plantations of walnuts, dates and other high-value cash crops can be created, together with halophytes such as salicornia brachiata as an edible oil resource all along the Sarasvati River Basin;
7. Expansion of Culture and Heritage tourism in Rajasthan. Creation of heritage tourism promotion zones along the River Sarasvati which is spotted with temples and ashramas of ancient rishis and munis, which are tirthasthanas mentioned in Mahabharata and where even today annual melas are held by pilgrims. Promotion of such pilgrimage and heritage sites with bathing ghats and places for offering tarpan to pitrus (ancestors), will also help promote tourism in Rajasthan and in the Sarasvati River Basin and help preserve the ancient cultural heritage of Bharat. The sites include in Bikaner, S’riganganagar and Hanumangarh districts of Rajasthan: SriKolayat ji (Kapila,), Jageri (Yajnavalkya, S’aunaka), Daad Madesar (Kardama), Diyatra (Dattatreya), Chundi (Cyavana), Pehoa (Vasishtha), Des’nok (Sikarnimaata), Hanumangarh (Gogajimela, Bhadrakali; archaeological sites of Kalibanga, Pilibanga, Rangmahal).
8. Surface, sub-surface drainage integration. Integration of subsurface drainage systems with surface runoffs taking into account the present-day conditions of irrigation systems based on tube wells since at many places, the groundwater is topping upto the surface and the carrying capacity of Ghaggar river is limited resulting in recurring floods at places like Anupgarh in Rajasthan.
9. Security implications. The Rajasthan Nahar was designed taking into account the security considerations being close to the international borders. These implications will be deliberated upon separately. Originally, the Rajasthan Nahar was designed as a navigable channel to provide the multiplier effects of a waterway as an economic means of transport, a transport alternative. By reviewing this original design option and by starting the Links 5 to 7 of the Perspective Plan drawn by National Water Development Agency (Govt. of India, Min. of Water Resources), the Nahar can be extended upto River Sabarmati as shown in Map 2, through the States of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
When His Excellency the President of India, Bharat Ratna Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam visited the exhibition organized at Omchandra Devi Lal Herbal Park at Chuhurpur, near Jagadhri, on 19 April 2004, he was impressed by the satellite images, revenue records and other evidence presented to establish River Sarasvati as ground truth and he made an endorsement in the Visitors’ Book, ‘Delighted to see the hard work in realizing te reality of epic information’.
Dr. S. Kalyanaraman, Director, Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Prakalp (Akhil Bharatiya Itihasa Sankalana Yojana) and others of the Yojana in conversation with H.E. the President of Bharat, Bharat Ratna, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
A tirthasthana has been created with the construction of Sarasvati Sarovar with 11 check dams at Adi Badri, Yamunanagar Dist., Haryana. This is an excellent example of integrated watershed management: waterharvesting, ecology conservation and development of a Vedic herbal garden. Similar structures can be provided at the heritage pilgrimage sites and tirthasthanas of Rajasthan and Gujarat. His Excellency President appreciated the ongoing work for Rebirth of River Sarasvati.
The following maps are attached: Map 1.Vedic River Sarasvati. The course was as shown by Prof. KS Valdiya (2002, Sarasvati, the river that disappeared, Hyderabad, Universities Press). Map 2. Satellite image of ancient channels of River Sarasvati System in Northwest India (RRSSC, Jodhpur). Map 3. Himalayan component of National Water Grid: Reborn Sarasvati River in Gujarat (Link 5, 7); National Water Development Agency, Govt. of India, Min. of Water Resources; Perspective Plan. These links are part of an integrated National Water Grid facilitated by interlinking Canal Systems to Transfer Surplus Flows of Eastern Tributaries of Ganga to the West benefiting U.P., Uttaranchal, Haryana, Rajasthan & Gujarat
• Ghar Ghar Maa Sarasvati
• Kheti Kheti Maa Narmada
Dr. S. Kalyanaraman, Director, Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Prakalp,
Akhila Bharatiya Itihasa Sankalana Yojana, Former Sr. Exec., Asian Development Bank,
Background
Vedic Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Sansthan, Jodhpur, Rajasthan has been engaged in the historical search for Vedic River Sarasvati in coordination with a number of scientists and scholars including the remarkable cooperation received from Regional Remote Sensing Services Centre (Dr. JR Sharma, Director), Jodhpur of Indian Space Research Organization. The results of researches have been compiled in a 7 volume encyclopaedic work called Sarasvati (Bangalore, Babasaheb Apte Smarak Samiti, 2004), sponsored by Akhil Bharatiya Itihasa Sankalana Yojana, Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Prakalp (Director, Dr. S. Kalyanaraman, Former Sr. Exec., Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines).
Executive Summary
The principal issues related to Water Resources Management in Rajasthan discussed in this note, with particular reference to Rajasthan, are as follows:
1. Ground Water Resources. Creation of sustainable ground-water resource extraction and application systems using space technologies for identification of water-logging locations and ground-water aquifers which are just below 30 to 60 m. below the surface, now subject to slow recharge from northerly sources (as demonstrated by Dr. SL Rao and Kulkarni of BARC, Mumbai); and using percolation tanks to recharge groundwater resources. (A technical geo-morphology report prepared by Dr. KR Srinivasan, Former Director, Central Ground Water Board for Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Prakalp which establishes the possibility of 10 lakh tube wells in central Rajasthan alone is attached for reference).
2. Water use regulation and integrated forest development. Regulated use of surface water resources from the Himalayan glaciers by expanding the Rajasthan Nahar (Sarasvati Mahanadi Rupa Nahar as it is called at the zero-point, Mohangarh, 55 kms. northwest of Jaisalmer) with percolation tanks to integrate with groundwater resources, together with the joint efforts of Forestry and Arid Zone agriculture experts in breaking the winds, stabilization of the sand-dune areas and forestation of the region with water-conserving cash plantations such as Almonds, Dates, Walnuts and creation of pastures for sustaining the livestock wealth, including the use of the special-purse water-conserving gumla developed by CAZRI. Stabilisation of sand dunes and wind-breaking are critical to avoid dune formation on top of the Nahar system resulting in desilting problems. Photo: Sarasvati Mahanadi Rupa Nahar, Mohangarh; 40 ft. wide, 12 ft. deep (Feb. 2002)
3. Desalination of saline water bodies. Considering the high levels of salt concentrations in many parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, desalination of saline water bodies in the entire Rajasthan area (also, coastline of Gujarat) using the indigenously developed Desalination Plant (Dr. Bhattacharjee, Kalpakkam Atomic Power Station), semi-permeable membrane is a cost-effective alternative, costing only 4.5 paise per litre; for example, the entire Luni River waters can be desalinated and rendered potable and fit for irrigation and drinking along the river basin.
4. Sharada-Sabarmati canal link. According priority to the link developed by National Water Development Agency (NWDA) of Ministry of Water Resources, Govt. of India to create Sharada-Sabarmati canal link (across an aqueduct crossing Yamuna river) to augment the water resources available in the Rajasthan Nahar, making the Nahar a navigable channel to create a waterway and promote tourism in the erstwhile Sarasvati River Basin, and enabling the extension of the Nahar upto River Sabarmati. The components detailed in the Perspective Plan Map (attached) are: E. Sarada-Yamuna; F. Yamuna-Sirsa branch of Western Yamuna Canal (Rajasthan); G. Ganga-Sirhind Canal; H. Tajewala-Bhakra; I. Harike Tailend of Rajasthan Canal; J. Extension of Rajasthan Canal to Sabarmati. Work has already started for 18,000 MW of hydro-electric power generation along the Mahakali-Karnali-Sharada river system in Nepal; the prioritization of the link under the Perspective Plan of NWDA will help rejuvenate the entire North-west India Drainage System. This will provide an impetus to the creation of a National Water Grid under the Perspective Plan to reach glacial waters to all parts of the country and to make all monsoon-based rivers into perennial river systems allowing for three crops per year along the delta areas.
5. Cooperation between Gujarat and Rajasthan. With mutual cooperation among the river basin states, it should be possible to regulate the use of scarce water resources for mutual benefit. An example is the possible sharing of Narmada Canal and Rajasthan Nahar waters between the States of Gujarat and Rajasthan. The areas of Kutch and Saurashtra in Gujarat are short of even drinking water and the extension of the Rajasthan Nahar into Kutch will help Gujarat with the operational imperative: Ghare Ghare Maa Sarasvati; Ane, Khetare Khetare Maa Narmada. For this sharing to be sustainable, the link mentioned above of Sharada-Yamuna aqueduct gains urgency. It is suggested that Governments of Rajasthan and Gujarat bring the urgency to the notice of the Central Government highlighting the immense potential benefits which will accrue to the States of Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat with the immediate implementation of this Sharada-Yamuna link under the Perspective Plan which is being implemented in phases.
6. Use of Space technology for water resource management. Continued and expanded use of the technology facilities provided by RRSSC, Jodhpur (ISRO) to identify water-logging regions, to identify the ancient courses of Sarasvati River System, to indicate the groundwater resources which can be tapped in a sustainable manner and to monitor the land-use with water-efficient agro-plantation-pasture- cultivation and forest systems. The techniques developed by RRSSC have been proved on the ground by the Sarasvati Project launched by Central Ground Water Authority (when Dr. DK Chaddha was the Chairman). The location of groundwater resources is scientifically proven in relation to: 1. palaeo or ancient-channels of River Sarasvati system; 2. proximity to fault-lines; and 3. proximity to ancient archaeological sites (there are over 2,000 such sites all along the River Sarasvati). Plantations of walnuts, dates and other high-value cash crops can be created, together with halophytes such as salicornia brachiata as an edible oil resource all along the Sarasvati River Basin;
7. Expansion of Culture and Heritage tourism in Rajasthan. Creation of heritage tourism promotion zones along the River Sarasvati which is spotted with temples and ashramas of ancient rishis and munis, which are tirthasthanas mentioned in Mahabharata and where even today annual melas are held by pilgrims. Promotion of such pilgrimage and heritage sites with bathing ghats and places for offering tarpan to pitrus (ancestors), will also help promote tourism in Rajasthan and in the Sarasvati River Basin and help preserve the ancient cultural heritage of Bharat. The sites include in Bikaner, S’riganganagar and Hanumangarh districts of Rajasthan: SriKolayat ji (Kapila,), Jageri (Yajnavalkya, S’aunaka), Daad Madesar (Kardama), Diyatra (Dattatreya), Chundi (Cyavana), Pehoa (Vasishtha), Des’nok (Sikarnimaata), Hanumangarh (Gogajimela, Bhadrakali; archaeological sites of Kalibanga, Pilibanga, Rangmahal).
8. Surface, sub-surface drainage integration. Integration of subsurface drainage systems with surface runoffs taking into account the present-day conditions of irrigation systems based on tube wells since at many places, the groundwater is topping upto the surface and the carrying capacity of Ghaggar river is limited resulting in recurring floods at places like Anupgarh in Rajasthan.
9. Security implications. The Rajasthan Nahar was designed taking into account the security considerations being close to the international borders. These implications will be deliberated upon separately. Originally, the Rajasthan Nahar was designed as a navigable channel to provide the multiplier effects of a waterway as an economic means of transport, a transport alternative. By reviewing this original design option and by starting the Links 5 to 7 of the Perspective Plan drawn by National Water Development Agency (Govt. of India, Min. of Water Resources), the Nahar can be extended upto River Sabarmati as shown in Map 2, through the States of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
When His Excellency the President of India, Bharat Ratna Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam visited the exhibition organized at Omchandra Devi Lal Herbal Park at Chuhurpur, near Jagadhri, on 19 April 2004, he was impressed by the satellite images, revenue records and other evidence presented to establish River Sarasvati as ground truth and he made an endorsement in the Visitors’ Book, ‘Delighted to see the hard work in realizing te reality of epic information’.
Dr. S. Kalyanaraman, Director, Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Prakalp (Akhil Bharatiya Itihasa Sankalana Yojana) and others of the Yojana in conversation with H.E. the President of Bharat, Bharat Ratna, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
A tirthasthana has been created with the construction of Sarasvati Sarovar with 11 check dams at Adi Badri, Yamunanagar Dist., Haryana. This is an excellent example of integrated watershed management: waterharvesting, ecology conservation and development of a Vedic herbal garden. Similar structures can be provided at the heritage pilgrimage sites and tirthasthanas of Rajasthan and Gujarat. His Excellency President appreciated the ongoing work for Rebirth of River Sarasvati.
The following maps are attached: Map 1.Vedic River Sarasvati. The course was as shown by Prof. KS Valdiya (2002, Sarasvati, the river that disappeared, Hyderabad, Universities Press). Map 2. Satellite image of ancient channels of River Sarasvati System in Northwest India (RRSSC, Jodhpur). Map 3. Himalayan component of National Water Grid: Reborn Sarasvati River in Gujarat (Link 5, 7); National Water Development Agency, Govt. of India, Min. of Water Resources; Perspective Plan. These links are part of an integrated National Water Grid facilitated by interlinking Canal Systems to Transfer Surplus Flows of Eastern Tributaries of Ganga to the West benefiting U.P., Uttaranchal, Haryana, Rajasthan & Gujarat
• Ghar Ghar Maa Sarasvati
• Kheti Kheti Maa Narmada
Dr. S. Kalyanaraman, Director, Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Prakalp,
Akhila Bharatiya Itihasa Sankalana Yojana, Former Sr. Exec., Asian Development Bank,
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