Ranbir, Tawi Cry for cleanliness are Jammuites listening?

By Colonel Satish Singh Lalotra

‘A river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure. It offers a necessity of life that must be rationed among those who have power over it.’-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

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It is no eighth wonder of the world or a hidden secret to be preserved for future progenies of humans that the early river valley civilizations were formed when man left his ‘cave existence’ and began to move around changing his moniker from a ‘Hunter-gatherer’ to that of an agrarian lifestyle. Instead of moving around to find food for themselves and their animals, humans began to grow their own food and settle down at one place. The majority of these settlements were located near major rivers. These ancient river civilizations set the foundations for further and better civilizations leading to our own modern civilizations of which we are so proud of today. A cursory glance at the major river civilizations of the world brings us to four (4) in numbers that spanned the entire expanse of the globe leaving aside the American continent. These four major river civilizations were located along the rivers of Indus, Yellow, Nile, Tigris and the Euphrates in Mesopotamia. Although each of these was located along a river for similar reasons, they had very different political systems, religions, languages and cultures. India by quirk of fate had positioned itself geographically so well straddling the routes to almost all of these river civilizations of the world that today it finds itself imbibed and soaking with the values these civilizations enshrined in its people along with its own Indus valley civilization. This USP of India has catapulted it amongst one of the most enamored nations of the globe.
Be that as it may, what is the situation as on today of all the major river systems of the country? Is it rosy anymore for us Indians to bask in our past glory? Since putting all major river systems and their present condition under the scanner of my present article may not be possible, I have stuck primarily to river ‘Tawi’ and the iconic ‘Ranbir Canal’ which draws its sustenance from river ‘Chenab’ or ‘Chandrabhaga’ to be precise in the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir. The reasons are not far to seek for this effort of mine. Firstly the UT of J& K had been sliced from its original size way back in 2019 , the draconian article 370 was abolished in the same year and thirdly this sliced entity has been under direct rule of the center from New Delhi. All these events have had a direct and indirect role to play on the psyche of its inhabitants with the natural resources (read river systems & canals) of the erstwhile state also being equally affected since humans and river systems have a symbiotic association. The city of Jammu aka city of temples has been buffeted by twin river systems which lie due north to its location i.e River Chenab and River Tawi , with the latter flowing and slicing the city into two halves. Legend has it that says this river Tawi was brought by a local deity -Raja PeharDevta -who wanted to use its water to cure his father. Also called as ‘Surya Putri’ , the river had long been the main source of drinking water for the people of Jammu , but today much of the river remains dry for the better part of the year. The solid waste that is thrown into the river both pollutes it and affects its flow of water.
Originating in ‘Kailash Kund’, a glacier in Bhaderwah of the Doda district, the Tawi river crosses into Pakistan’s Punjab province as it continues its westward journey eventually amalgamating with river Chenab. As mentioned by me above that the quality of water in the Tawi river has gone from bad to worse over the years, primarily owing to the waste of the city’s sewers dumping into it. It will be a big jolt for the readers to know that most of it has got to do with the superstitions of the Jammuites who think that since the river is a sacred river hence throw large quantities of flowers that accumulate in the city of temples. Add to it the recent Navratri celebrations which gives a further fillip to such activities. Not only this all the sewerage of Jammu city flowing into Tawi river through 17 drains makes it a virtual nullah and not a sacred river any more. What has happened to the so called ‘Tawi sewage treatment plants’ that were supposed to be commissioned a decade ago when the BJP led State Government was at the helm of the affairs and the Modi led government at the center in 2014? Couldn’t a symphony of sorts be orchestrated between the two governments to get such a crucial project up on its feet and give a new lease of life to this sacred river and the inhabitants of Jammu city? Leave alone this , even when the state government was on borrowed time by forming a coalition with the PDP party why was this crucial project not given a fillip? When the state government fell in 2018 and central rule ensued, what was the center doing all these years? Why even after abrogation of article 370 and formation of UT, the central government was parsimonious in its thinking and action and did not commission the Tawi sewage treatment plants?
As for the local action on ground, it has been a constant refrain in the city that authorities have been apathetic in tightening the screws on the defaulting public who throw garbage and muck without a care in the world in this sacred river. As per few NGOs working in this sphere locals who live on the banks of river Tawi make repeated calls to send the garbage trucks and pick up waste, but no action is taken. The garbage comes not only from the local population , but the municipal garbage trucks also dump waste here which poses a serious threat to the aquatic life of river Tawi as also a major health hazard to the citizens living in the near vicinity. Certain environmentalists believe that the much publicized ‘Jammu smart city project’ has focused only on short term cosmetic development, thereby failing to keep the environment healthy and sustainable.They also believe that initiatives like the TRF (Tawi river front) have endangered the lives of communities by increasing the chances Tawi’s banks getting flooded. Such projects have also threatened the existence of communities living on the island of river Tawi, where areas like BeliCharana have already faced catastrophe during the 2014 Jammu floods. Since self was posted at Bari Brahmana while still serving in the army on my last leg of posting before retirement, I was witness to some of the mayhem caused during those fateful days of September 2014 in the city of temples. As for saving the iconic Ranbir Canal, the less said the better. One of the first few irrigation schemes launched by the Dogra Maharajas to take the glacial cold waters of river Chenab to the much flatter and larger fields of Samba, RS Pura etc to give a fillip to the agricultural sector of the ‘Kandi’ region the said canal is ruing its fate at the hands of both the indifferent Jammu population as also the local administration of Jammu for its revival.
Passing through major areas of the city, this iconic canal was a game changer economic project on which hinged the success of the world famous ‘Basmati rice’ of RS Pura. One can only know the true extent of damage done to this canal when in the winter months the water supply is stopped to this facility only to expose the magnitude and extent of garbage like  polythene bags, bottles, hospital waste , torn clothes, vessels and even dead animals and human remains jutting out like soar thumbs into the canal firmament. Its small branches or channels which still used to supply water to few low areas in the city have been pathetically reduced to black coloured stinking water in narrowed drains which speaks volumes about the attitude of Jammuites in treating its iconic symbols. So what is the way forward in such a dismal situation that too in a city like Jammu which is always on a shoe string budget to get its act together to save its twin symbols of identity? I, in my own wisdom and thought have penned few suggestions which I believe should be taken in the right earnest by the concerned authorities so that better days are in store for these twin symbols of Jammu city. Some of these are as below-

Some suggestions

* As for the Ranbir canal, dredge the canal and its various tributaries to their original depth.
* Seal the slopes of the canal to prevent water seepage.
* Create bathing ghats at regular intervals for people to swim and bathe. As on today the public just jumps off from the nearest point of their access to this canal to the utter disregard to their safety and of others.
* Maintain and develop further the green buffers on either side of the canal to prevent pollution and decay.
* Identify and pin point the most polluted stretches of this Ranbir canal , and penalize the local population by placing a punitive penalty as a deterrence for their ‘devil may care attitude’ towards this symbol of yore.
* Install a foolproof security system in the form of CCTV Cameras both with passive and active detection system.
* Undertake solid waste management in and around the canal right from Akhnoor to RS Pura
* Both the JMC & I&FC ( Jammu municipal corporation & Irrigation and flood control ) engineers should sit together and brain storm their efforts by way of creating awareness in the schools and colleges through information education and communication activities ( IEC activities) of the need to save this canal which is the proverbial life -blood of Jammu city.
* Involve the community elders and leaders by regular meetings and then tendering out the cleaning work of Ranbir canal as per the strict guidelines as enumerated in the ‘Solid waste management rules of 2016.
* Involve credible NGOs with a solid track record in such important issues having grave societal & environmental ramifications.
* Create a proper maintenance plan in conjunction with both the JMC & I&FC so as to ensure a regular follow up of their activities.
As for saving river Tawi from the societal depredations, I am convinced that if concerted action & pressure are applied on the following chosen areas the river might see a turnaround in its fortunes—
* A concerted drive should be launched in close cooperation with JMC to help identify the most polluted stretches of the river and the garbage material found in these stretches.
* Help isolate those localities and areas which are recurring defaulters in polluting the river by their actions and a punitive action be demanded officially upon these localities. The money so collected be utilized by the JMC in the cleaning up operation and same notified in the official gazette.
* Involve creditable NGOs in areas like risk awareness, health hazards, environmental degradation amongst the masses owing to pollution of river Tawi.
* Involve more student communities, self-help groups, volunteers and such like people who can go in for a door to door campaign movement in the city regarding the harmful effects of river Tawi getting polluted.
* Give state pollution control board more teeth in the form of statutory powers that should be exercised as per an act of legislation and having punitive effects on the erring officials or the general public that resides all along the river bank if and any misdemeanor is seen .
* Undertake solid waste management as has been suggested by me in the preceding paragraphs in case of river Tawi too.
* The usefulness of TRF (Tawi river front) be analyzed in its entirety with a very sound ‘Cost -benefit ‘ analysis done by domain experts.
* Till the time an effective ‘Tawi sewerage treatment ‘ plan is put on road and executed with resolute action , concerted clean up drives be launched all along the river front.
* Declare both the Ranbir canal and Tawi river as ‘Heritage rivers’ of Jammu since both have been the icons of Dogra rule and history of J&K is incomplete without giving these two ‘Nishans’ aka symbols their rightful place in Duggardesh.
Though all these points given by my article are well intentioned, ultimately it’s the intentions of the people who are closely associated and interdependent upon the river/canal system of Jammu who have to take the final call and save their existence as well as heritage too.

What they say

The River Tawi, revered as Suryaputri, and the Ranbir Canal, which irrigates fields in Jammu, both face severe challenges. All drains (nullahas) polluting the Tawi must be redirected into a proper sewerage system to preserve the river’s purity. Its banks should be well-developed, and unregulated mining must be halted. Flowing within Jammu city, Tawi has inspired the name of the railway station and would benefit from large-scale tree plantations along its banks. The Ranbir Canal bridges could be artistically redesigned in arches, and a small steamer could offer scenic rides between Akhnoor and Jammu. In winter, when water flow reduces, solar panels could cover sections to generate clean energy. Both banks could host seating, picnics, eateries, and vibrant recreational spaces.

Sunny Dua

River Tawi, the daughter of Sun god is known as Surya Putri / Tau/ Tawishi. Tawi is the main source of drinking water for peoples of Jammu City but on the other hand all the towns and cities that are established on the banks of river throw most of their garbage through drainage system into Tawi making it a polluted river. From Kishanpur Manwal to Makwal in Jammu 23 drains throw tonnes of garbage into Tawi. Politicians and concerned departments only issue statements without taking actual steps for cleaning river Tawi.

Kirpal Singh Dev

The Ranbir Canal, a vital irrigation and drinking water source for Jammu, requires concerted efforts for its protection from both human-made and natural hazards. This canal is the life line for nearly 15-18 lakh population right from its origin at Akhnoor upto Satwari, Bishnah, R S Pura etc. But in recent times man-made threats primarily involve pollution from nearby industrial and residential waste, encroachment along its banks, and illegal sand mining, which disrupts its flow and harms the canal’s ecosystem. To counteract these, authorities should strictly regulate industrial discharges, enforce anti-encroachment laws, and monitor mining activities. Public awareness campaigns on the canal’s importance could also encourage community support for its preservation.
Natural hazards, including soil erosion and seasonal flooding, pose further risks to the canal’s structure and water quality. Implementing bank stabilization measures, such as planting vegetation along the banks, could help prevent erosion. Additionally, periodic dredging which should not be in papers but on ground would ensure the canal’s depth is maintained, facilitating water flow during floods. Climate change impacts should also be prioritized, with enhanced infrastructure to manage overflow and reduce silt buildup during heavy rainfall. Overall, protecting the Ranbir Canal requires a collaborative approach among government agencies, local communities, and environmental organizations to ensure its long-term sustainability as a crucial water, irrigation, entertainment, tourism and much more for the Jammu region. One immediate requirement is the installation of waste collection reharis, or big drums/dustbin at every 200 meters right from Akhnoor upto its terminus villages can save the much needed canal to some extent for our future generations.
About environmental degradation in general I would end up saying, “we are the first generation to face it’s burnt and we will be the last generation to repair it ” else, there will be only destruction, destruction and destruction.

Satish Singh Manhas

(The writer is a retired army officer)