Thursday, 03 November 2022 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has said that the Rispana rejuvenation programme would now be taken up with renewed vigour and with active participation of the society. He has said that the second phase of the programme would begin on November 4. Rawat who also is the patron of the Devbhoomi Vikas Sansthan (DVS) was interacting with the media persons here on Wednesday. He said that all the 79 drains polluting the water of the Rispana have now been tapped. “ Our objective now is to find ways to ensure that the water is there in the river throughout the year. Almost all the water of the river is used up for drinking water purposes of Dehradun and Mussoorie. During my tenure as chief minister a plan was to bring water into the river from the Song dam. We would request the state government to take up the dam project so that Rispana is rejuvenated and it becomes Rishiparna again,’’ he said.
The former CM informed that under the rejuvenation plan a large number of Peepal (Ficus religiosa), Banyan trees were planted on the banks of Rispana. He said that the Peepal tree has bore the maximum brunt of road widening projects in our country. “Apart from being an excellent absorbent of carbon, the Peepal tree aids in the economy of the country by providing employment to large numbers of people under it. There is a very strong ‘Peepal Economics’ and we should preserve it,’’ he quipped.
Rawat added that the DVS has roped in experts of various fields who would conduct a scientific study of the effect of the rejuvenation programme.
The mayor of Dehradun Sunil Uniyal Gama, BJP leader Prithviraj Chauhan, the secretary of the DVS, Satyendra Negi and others were present on the occasion.
