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Noon River Rejuvenation Initiative in Uttar Pradesh

Context & Background

  • The Noon river in Kanpur district had become indistinguishable due to infestation of jal kumbhi (water hyacinth) and siltation from debris and blocked channels.
  • Reviving the Noon is part of a state-wide river rejuvenation mission launched in June 2024 at the Saryu Mahotsav, with the motto: One district, one river”.
  • Uttar Pradesh has identified over 60 forgotten rivers to be revived—each district assigned one.

Relevance : GS 1(Geography) ,GS 3(Environment and Ecology)

Geographical Details

  • Length of Noon River: 48.5 km
  • Coverage: Flows through 34 gram panchayats across 3 blocks—Shivrajpur, Chaubeypur, and Bilhaur.
  • Origin: Kanhiya Khera in Rampur Narua
  • Endpoint: Ganges river
  • Area Surveyed: Nearly 24 km of natural path mapped and cleared.

Key Interventions

  • Drone Mapping & GIS:
    • Remote sensing used by Remote Sensing Centre (Lucknow) to detect dry patches, channel blocks, and water hyacinth zones.
    • Entire stretch digitally mapped for revival planning.
  • Community Participation:
    • Awareness slogans like “Hum sabne milkay than lia, Noon nadi ko fir se jeevant karana hai” helped mobilize women and villagers.
    • Villagers contributed shramdaan (voluntary labor) and input for tracing natural channels.
  • Multi-departmental Coordination:
    • Officials from 10 departments (forest, agriculture, irrigation, horticulture, fisheries, etc.) coordinated under district administration.
  • Employment Generation:
    • Works carried out under MGNREGA, creating local employment while reviving ecology.

 Outcomes & Impact

  • Hydrological Restoration:
    • Removal of hyacinth and clearing of silt restored water flow in large sections.
    • Monsoon overflow now properly channels into Noon, rather than damaging nearby fields.
  • Agricultural Benefits:
    • Fields previously waterlogged or left uncultivated have regained productivity.
  • Cost Efficiency:
    • Revival used minimal external funding, relying largely on community labor and existing government schemes (e.g., MGNREGA).

Challenges Faced

  • Resistance from Locals:
    • Convincing farmers and landowners was difficult due to past failures.
    • Required strong leadership by gram panchayat officials and continuous dialogue.
  • Ecological Degradation:
    • Old jal kumbhi infestation (over 10 years) had choked many sections.

Replicability & Model Value

  • Model can be scaled to:
    • Other degraded non-perennial rivers and rivulets in the Indo-Gangetic belt.
    • Similar efforts in Bundelkhand and eastern UP facing groundwater distress.
  • Combines:
    • Tech-driven mapping
    • Employment-linked public works
    • Decentralized governance
    • Community-led planning

Way Forward

  • Institutionalize “One District, One River” under a mission-mode program.
  • Create a real-time monitoring dashboard using drone & GIS tools.
  • Launch eco-literacy campaigns for aquatic weed control & water stewardship.
  • Link river rejuvenation with crop planning and irrigation strategy.
  • Integrate with Namami Gange for rivers feeding into the Ganga.

July 2025
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