An Excellent Plan to Save India’s Rivers

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Today the daily newspaper - Times of India - described an excellent plan to revive India’s rivers by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev of the Isha Foundation. The plan involves planting trees for up to one kilometer on either side of rivers. Applying an engineers mind to the proposal, this author is adding some more suggestions and clarifications for consideration and debate in this note in brief bullet form:

  1. The center-line of the river may be used to measure the one kilometer distance, and demarcation pillars similar to road distance signs at similar spacing may be put at this one kilometer point with a twenty feet wide paved road running along the length on either side. The road will help to make the demarcation permanent as well as serve to maintain the area and facilitate movement for villagers and others living nearby.
  2. As suggested by Isha foundation, existing farms falling within these limit may plant fruit orchards only whereas in vacant land outside farms the trees may be fruit or other trees in a mixed format to maintain bio-diversity. Farmers may be provided free fruit trees and an allowance for six years to make the transition economical for them.
  3. Existing buildings falling within this limit may be permitted to continue but no new construction must be permitted. To implement this, those falling within this limit may register existing ground covered area through an online simplified process with a fee of no more than five hundred rupees. A time limit may be prescribed for the process. Help centers may be provided to illiterate persons for this registration. A warning of fine for false declaration and surprise verification should minimize fraud in this process.
  4. Once registered, the owner may demolish and build equal to existing ground cover area if he wishes as well as add additional higher stories up to a building height of no more than forty feet but ground cover area may not be allowed to be increased. However, buildings that are already higher as in some cities along the river side may be allowed to continue with the increased height provided they get this registered along with ground covered area at time of registration. A vacant area of thirty feet around existing buildings may be permitted but beyond that it must be covered by trees. Each dwelling in this zone must have a toilet to prevent open defecation.
  5. Farmers may be encouraged to add bee keeping activity to increase income in this belt.
  6. The Indian army as well as other suitable government organizations may be requested to assist in plantation task. Temporary plantation camp contracts can also become a huge employment generator for youth. These could perhaps be done in conjunction with army since they have the infrastructure for camps and the youth would benefit from interaction with soldiers.
  7. The Forest and other departments may set up tree nurseries every ten kilometers along the demarcation road within the one kilometer limit and provide these at subsidized rates to farmers and others for this plantation.

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