- The first river rehabilitation project in North India, dubbed ‘Devika,’ is nearing completion and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon.
About the ‘Devika’ Project
- The PM launched the project in February 2019, based after the ‘Namami Ganga’ programme.
- Demand: The long-desired rehabilitation and rejuvenation project gathered traction after 2014, indicating a significant advancement in North India’s river regeneration efforts.
- Project Execution: The LWM project is being built by J&K’s Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED).
- The Devika River, venerated as the sacred Ganges’ sister, carries immense religious significance, notably in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir.
Important Characteristics
- Liquid Waste Management (LWM): A separate LWM project, featuring a network of pipelines and manholes connecting residences, is being implemented to preserve the river’s holiness.
- Solid Waste Management (SWM): In addition to LWM, SWM projects are critical to preserving the river’s holiness.
- Infrastructure creation: Three sewage treatment facilities, a 129.27 km sewerage network, the creation of cremation ghats, protection fencing, landscaping, and the establishment of tiny hydropower and solar power plants are all part of the project.
Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1946187#:~:text=Union%20Minister%20of%20State%20(Independent,Project%20Devika%20is%20nearing%20completion.