River Saraswatiya (Garhwa)

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Removing encroachments, Meral to Garhwa

2026

ASRP.Mukesh, June 17, 2026: The Times of India

More than 5km of the Saraswatiya river has been reclaimed from years of encroachment, with work under way on a war footing
From: ASRP.Mukesh, June 17, 2026: The Times of India

Ranchi : In April, Mehak Priya (15) approached the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Jharkhand’s Garhwa district, urging him to save the Saraswatiya river in her village from disappearing. Weeks later, her earnest plea has swelled into a mass movement that is slowly bringing the water body back to life. 


SDM Sanjay Kumar said Mehak’s school had tasked all students with submitting a couple of questions to a govt officer. Her request moved him to think of a solution. Kumar said he dipped into his own pocket to launch the work. As a formal govt plan would have taken a long time due to the multiple approvals involved, Kumar then made a public appeal. “We thought — why not let people take the lead? Through continuous meetings, we tried to build accountability,” he said. 
 What followed, he said, exceeded his expectations.


Across the 14-km river — from its origin at Meral to Garhwa town — residents stepped in with whatever they could offer: labour, machines, money, even food for workers. The first stretch was cleared on May 25. 


The campaign has gained remarkable momentum since then. More than 5km of the river has been taken back from years of encroachment, with work under way on a war footing. “We are not just cleaning — we are reclaiming the river’s natural path so it can flow freely again,” the SDM said.


Schools, transporters, builders and local groups have begun “adopting” stretches of the river, pooling in resources to clean and restore them. “This sense of ownership is what is driving the campaign,” Kumar said. “Every day, at least five to six earthmovers are being used. Our only job now is to supervise and ensure that the volunteers don’t face any law-and-order problems,” he added. 


The administration has complemented the public’s efforts with strict enforcement. Drones are being deployed for daily aerial monitoring to ensure reclaimed stretches are not encroached upon again. Simultaneously, 13 bulk waste generators have been issued show-cause notices for discharging waste into the riverbed, while action has been taken against more than 100 violators for blocking the river’s flow. 


The campaign has seen zero protests, a rarity in encroachment removal drives.