Bhopal News: Betwa Dying At Birth Despite ₹11 Crore Proposal
· Free Press Journal
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The origin of the Betwa river is situated in Jhiri village of Raisen district. For the second consecutive summer, its origin point, popularly known as Gaumukh, has gone dry. It had first dried up last year.
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Environmentalists say the loss of trees in forests situated in the upper reaches is one of the main causes behind the Betwa river origin becoming bereft of water flow.
Sources said that as the Jhiri area of the Betwa origin falls in Ratapani sanctuary, the Forest Department had submitted a proposal to the government one year ago seeking Rs 11 crore to carry out conservation activities in the upper reaches so that the water continues to flow from its origin. The proposal is still awaiting sanction from the government.
When contacted, Ratapani Tiger Reserve District Forest Officer Hemant Raikwar said the proposal for rejuvenation of the Betwa origin had already been submitted to the state government.
The proposal envisages construction of check dams, percolation ponds and plantation to rejuvenate the Betwa origin. In the meantime, Gandhian and retired income tax officer RK Paliwal expressed concern over the Betwa origin losing its stream flow before the onset of the summer season.
Betwa's origin has been deteriorating over the past 10 years, with its flow gradually diminishing. It had first dried up before December last year, he told Free Press.
Paliwal and other like-minded people undertook conservation work at the Betwa origin. With public support, they constructed about 50 check dams in the upper reaches, which helped increase the flow of the Betwa origin for a few months. However, the Betwa basin is vast and requires comprehensive conservation work.
In 2023, he led a team that undertook the Betwa Yatra to study the challenges faced by the river. The report was later submitted to the Chief Secretary and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. "It was in 2024 that the Chief Minister visited the Betwa origin and announced that water levels of all rivers in the state would be increased. However, the Betwa origin still awaits conservation and rejuvenation," said Paliwal.
He added that a large number of farmers are cultivating patta land in the upper reaches of the Betwa river and are levelling land by cutting trees. This is one of the major causes of the Betwa origin drying up during the summer season, as the basin is losing its water-holding capacity.
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