UP campaign brings Jaunpur's Pili and Kanpur's Noon rivers on revival course

Time of India

21 hours ago

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Lucknow: Under the state govt's 'One District-One River' revival campaign, Pili river, a tributary of the Gomti in Jaunpur, was revived through a collective public effort.
The water flow can now be seen in the river after years, though it is still a long way from acquiring its original form.
Saplings have been planted along its banks to maintain ecological balance.
Jaunpur district magistrate Dinesh Chandra Singh highlighted that the 61.2 km-long river, with 43 km flowing through Jaunpur, originates from Dehuna village in Badlapur tehsil and flows through villages such as Bhalua, Khanpur, Bahur, Sirikna, and Rampur before merging into the Gomti near Belwan.
"From a cultural perspective, Pili Nadi holds a deep connection with Jaunpur's identity.
As part of the revival campaign held from June 11 to July 2, a 25-km stretch of the river was rejuvenated through community participation and awareness. A key highlight of the campaign was the restoration of the ancient Shiva temple in Deoria village, located on the river's banks," the official said.
Under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, 11,000 saplings have already been planted along both sides of the river, with a target of 51,000 to be completed by Aug 15.
Another instance of a success story under the campaign is the revival of the Noon river in Kanpur. Once a lifeline for the fields of Bilhaur, Shivrajpur, and Chobepur, the riverbed turned into a stretch of dry land.
Led by DM Jitendra Pratap Singh and chief development officer Diksha Jain, the campaign to revive the river was designed as a people's movement. Through a combination of revenue records, drone surveys, satellite images, and oral history, the route of the 48 km-long river was traced.
The work of desilting, cleaning, and embankment construction began under the MGNREGA scheme.
Instead of using machines, the work was carried out manually by over 6,000 workers from 58 gram panchayats, covering nearly 23 km of the river. This created over 23,000 days of work and was covered by a budget of Rs 57 lakh.
In the first week of July, more than 40,000 saplings of native trees, including neem, peepal, pakkad, and drumstick trees, were planted along both banks under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign.
Factories discharging pollutants into the river were shut down.
CDO Diksha Jain said that the Noon river was mapped using aerial drone surveys and satellite imagery. She said: "The survey revealed that the river was heavily encroached in several areas, choked with water hyacinth, and filled with silt. In Feb, a formal river revival campaign was launched in the presence of public representatives. Most of the work, such as desilting and cleaning, was carried out under MGNREGA, ensuring both environmental restoration and employment generation.
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Jain added that industrial effluent from nearby factories was stopped, and private companies as well as local industries came forward to support the initiative. "The results have been truly encouraging. A river once written off has now regained a substantial flow. Recently, during the mega plantation drive, more than 40,000 saplings were planted along its banks. The visible transformation has sparked a sense of pride and renewed enthusiasm within the local community," she said.