Work on 'Saraswati Revival Project' launched

CHANDIGARH: Haryana assembly Speaker Kanwar Pal today inaugurated the excavation work on the Rs 50-crore 'Saraswati Revival Project' at Rolaheri village in Yamunanagar district.

Speaking on the occasion, Kanwar Pal said that the project would take the culture and heritage of India to the golden period.

Our great saints had scripted valuable Vedas and scriptures by the shores of the Saraswati River, he said.

It is said that river Saraswati flows through 41 villages of Yamunanagar district. It originates from Adi Badri and its water falls in Somb river.

It has been proposed that a check dam would be constructed on Somb river to store rain-water and divert it to Saraswati.

It has also been proposed that a reservoir would be constructed in the village of Chhallour over an area of 400 acres.

The technical survey of the dam and reservoir is being conducted by the Irrigation Department.

He said that in the first phase, the Saraswati river would be excavated in eight villages from Rola Heri to Sandhai.

This integrated project would cover several aspects such as flood protection, promotion of eco-tourism and pilgrimage tourism, water conservation, improving ecological balance among various other things.

A primary survey was conducted by the district development and Panchayat's officer, Yamunanagar, under the guidance of the Deputy Commissioner, of the district.

Accordingly, various departments such as Irrigation, Revenue, Marketing Board, PWD and Forest have been asked to finalise the survey for the completion of the project.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has already announced Rs 50 crore for the project.

The initial excavation work is to be taken up under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.