Jaipur, April 28: In a major step towards reviving the mythological Saraswati river of the Vedic era, a high-level meeting was held at the Birla Science Research Institute in Rajasthan’s Jaipur on Monday.
The session brought together officials from the Saraswati Heritage Board of Haryana, subject matter experts, and scientists. Rajasthan Water Resources Minister Suresh Rawat attended the meeting, along with Dhuman Singh Kirmich, Deputy Chairman of the Saraswati Heritage Board, Haryana; Mahavir Poonia, Head of the Remote Sensing Department, Birla Science Research Institute; and Bhuvan Bhaskar, Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department, Rajasthan.
Retired ISRO Director J.R. Sharma and B.K. Bhadra also joined the meeting via video conference, sharing their valuable insights and experiences. During the meeting, Dhuman Singh Kirmich presented a detailed overview of the work undertaken by Haryana on the revival of the Vedic-era Saraswati river, showcasing the progress through a comprehensive presentation.
Expressing his views, Water Resources Minister Suresh Rawat said that the Saraswati river has historically flowed underground across western Rajasthan. Under the leadership of Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma in collaboration with Haryana government, has initiated efforts to bring this ancient river to the surface to benefit farmers in the arid regions of the state.
Minister Rawat also noted that the Haryana government is actively working towards realising this project on the ground, and its success could significantly contribute to greening the drought-prone areas of Rajasthan. The meeting focused on several key points, including the Rajasthan government, remains vigilant about securing interstate water resources, reviving the Saraswati river forms part of this strategic initiative and an important Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Water Resources Department of Rajasthan and the Embassy of Denmark on December 9, 2024, during the Rising Rajasthan summit.
This agreement focuses on cooperation for the revival of Saraswati’s paleochannels, aiming to boost water security and environmental sustainability in Rajasthan. To further strengthen international cooperation, a follow-up meeting with representatives from the Embassy of Denmark is scheduled for April 29.
In addition, the involvement of the Central Ground Water Board, State Ground Water Departments, Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur; and IIT Banaras Hindu University has been secured to advance the project. The initiative marks a significant move towards reclaiming a historic and culturally significant river, while addressing urgent water conservation and agricultural needs in the region.
IANS