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DPRs for rejuvenation of 13 major rivers released by Govt

Tuesday, 15 March 2022 | PNS | Dehradun

The detailed project reports (DPRs) on rejuvenation of thirteen major rivers through forestry interventions prepared by Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, were released by Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav in the national Capital on Monday. The DPRs are for Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Luni, Narmada, Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Cauvery rivers and have been funded by National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board.

Growing water crisis on account of depleting fresh water resources especially due to shrinking and degradation of river ecosystems is a major impediment to achieving national goals pertaining to environment, conservation, climate change and sustainable development. The 13 rivers collectively cover a total basin area of 18,90,110 square kilometres that represents 57.45 per cent of the geographical area of the country. The length of 13 rivers including 202 tributaries within the delineated riverscapes is 42,830 kilometres.  The rivers along with their tributaries are proposed for forestry interventions in the riverscape under different landscapes- natural, agricultural and urban landscapes. The different models of forestry plantations including timber species, medicinal plants, grasses, shrubs and fuel, fodder and fruit trees are aimed to augment water, ground water recharge and contain erosion. A total of 667 treatment and plantation models are proposed in all the 13 DPRs meant for the proposed forestry interventions and supporting activities, in different landscapes. Site specific treatments in terms of soil and moisture conservation and plantations of grasses, herbs, forestry and horticultural trees have been proposed for treatment of prioritised sites in the riverscape supported by GIS technique based on consultations with various stakeholders.

Each DPR incorporates detailed geospatial analysis of the delineated riverscape, exhaustive review on the river environment, factors responsible for the current state and prioritisation of areas using remote sensing and GIS techniques along with field verification for proposed forestry interventions and other conservation measures through an extensive consultative process and designing and development of various treatment models for natural, agriculture and urban landscapes in each of the delineated riverscapes. The DPRs focus on protection, afforestation, catchment treatment, ecological restoration, moisture conservation, livelihood improvement, income generation, ecotourism by developing river fronts, eco-parks and bringing awareness amongst the masses. Research and monitoring have also been included as a component.

The proposed cumulative budget outlay of the 13 DPRs is Rs 19,342.62 crore. The DPRs are expected to be executed through the State Forest Departments as nodal department and with convergence of schemes of other line departments in the states towards the activities proposed in the DPRs and funding support from the Government of India. The activities proposed in the DPRs shall help achieve potential benefits of increasing the green cover, contain soil erosion, recharge water table and sequester carbon dioxide in addition to benefits in the form of non-timber forest produce. Forestry interventions are expected to increase the cumulative forest cover by 7,417.36 square kilometres across 13 riverscapes. The proposed interventions would help to sequester 50.21 million tonnes CO2 equivalent in 10-year-old plantations and 74.76 million tonnes CO2 equivalent in 20-year-old plantations. The proposed interventions in 13 riverscapes would help in ground water recharge to the extent of 1,889.89 million m3 yr-1, and reduction in sedimentation to the tune of 64,83,114 m3 yr-1. In addition, Rs 449.01 crore is likely to be generated from expected non-timber and other forest produce. It is also expected that the employment of 344 million man-days shall be generated through planned activities as provisioned in 13 DPRs. 

The Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, MoEFCC State minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Forests DG CP Goyal and ICFRE DG Arun Singh Rawat were also present on the occasion. 

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