SARASWATI’S NEW AVATAR: OFFICERS ON THEIR TOES
SARASWATI’S NEW AVATAR Officers in Yamunanagar district having sleepless nights ahead of July 30 deadline to release water in canal; farmers oppose cleaning work as machines damaging crops
Officials of the Yamunanagar irrigation department are having sleepless nights ahead of the fast approaching July 30 deadline, when Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar is scheduled to artificially recharge the 4000-yearold mythical Saraswati river, by releasing water from Shahbad-Nalvi branch here.
UNCHA CHADNA (YAMUNANAGAR): Officials of the Yamunanagar irrigation department are having sleepless nights ahead of the fast approaching July 30 deadline, when Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar is scheduled to artificially recharge the 4000-year-old mythical Saraswati river, by releasing water from Shahbad-Nalvi branch here.
But the new avatar of the Sarswati still requires lots of work to prove that the canal is the same historic river, which is mentioned in the revenue records and referred to in Hindu mythology.
Officials of the irrigation department said water will be released at Uncha Chadna village, which is about 60 km from the origin of the Saraswati at Adi Badri.
“We don’t know the reason behind this haste to release water in the river and we can’t do anything but follow the order,” said a senior official of the department.
Also, a link road from Thana Chappar village to Uncha Chadna village is under construction and labourers are struggling to build this 10-km stretch before July 30.
To complete the cleaning process of the canal, the officials are making efforts to start working even during the nights with use of flood lights.
However, the farmers whose crops are being damaged along the banks of the canal are opposing the move.
The farmers of Ram Nagar village even stalled the cleaning work and took a JCB machine in their possession, alleging these have damaged their crops and uprooted trees.
“I am locked in the machine for the past two days as farmers did not allow the cleaning. They said they will not allow us to go back till they get compensation for the damaged crop,” said JCB operator Ajay Kumar.
On the other hand, the farmers are furious over the damage to their crops and trees they had planted along the banks of the canal to avoid mud-sliding.
“We don’t know what the government wants. Why they are wasting money and energy over this canal and damaging our crops?” asked Rameshwar, a farmer from Daulatpur village.
However, the officials said, “We are just following the directions and will complete the work by the deadline.”
Yamunanagar deputy commissioner SS Phulia said, “We are cleaning the river, which is mentioned in the revenue records only.” SARASWATI BEING USED FOR LIQUID WASTE
Even as officials claim they are cleaning the canal as per the revenue records in Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts, the canal seems to be a rainy season nullah. Also in some villages, it is used as a sewage drain and villagers discharge their liquid waste in the canal.
“The sewage discharge is a major problem. Some factories also discharge their waste in it, but now the government has issued directions and steps will be taken to check the discharge of waste in canal,” said Iqbal Singh, executive engineer, Bhakra main line, who is monitoring the cleaning of the 44-km stretch of Saraswati in Kaithal and Kurukshetra district.
“Though the cleaning is still going on at some locations, the river is ready to take in the flow the water on July 30,” said Arvind Kaushi, suprintending engineer (SE), irrigation department, Kurukshetra, who is overseeing the cleaning work of 90-km stretch in Kurukshetra from Gajalana village to Pehowa town. LOCALS DOUBT DISCOVERY OF SARASWATI
Though the BJP government in Haryana has formed a Sarswati Heritage Board to revive the river from Yamunangar to Kaithal, the people are still doubtful about the existence of Saraswati.
“They are cleaning a nullah (drain) and this is not Saraswati river,” said Babu Ram, an elderly farmer of Gundiana village. “Even our elders told that the Saraswati river was about half km away from this canal they are cleaning,” he added.
But the officials said the discovery of the Saraswati river, considered sacred in Hindu mythology, is completely based on the revenue records of the state government. However, the government did not involve the Archaeological Survey of India to prove its claim about the existence of the Saraswati river.