Nahal river reclaims its green glory after six decades in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: The campaign to rejuvenate the endangered rivers of Uttar Pradesh, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is fast becoming a symbol of ecological revival and rural prosperity. In Rampur district alone, nine small rivers — Nahal, Hatiyari, Sajni, Neeli, Aril, Naiya, Revati, Baigul, and Chaugaja — have been revived, transforming the landscape and benefiting lakhs of farmers across more than 100 gram panchayats.

Thanks to this large-scale effort, greenery is returning to the development blocks of Bilaspur, Chamraua, Milak, Saidnagar, Shahabad, and Swar. Crops have begun to flourish again, and water levels are improving steadily. The mission owes its success to the combined efforts of the State Mission for Clean Ganga, Namami Gange, and the Rural Water Supply Department, whose coordinated work executed on a war footing is breathing life back into dried-up rivers.

The revival of the Nahal river stands out as a historic achievement. Stretching 75 km and passing through 43 gram panchayats in the Milak, Chamraua, and Saidnagar blocks, Nahal had remained dry for nearly 60 years. On CM Yogi’s directives, the river was rejuvenated, allowing its waters to flow once again — a sight many local farmers witnessed for the first time in their lives. The project also generated over 1.5 lakh man-days under MGNREGA, employing more than 2,500 families.

According to Chief Development Officer Nand Kishore Kalaal, the subsurface dam technology, commonly used in South India, was deployed for the first time in Rampur to revive the Sainani river. This innovative method brought groundwater to the surface, restarting the river’s flow and making the surrounding land fertile once more.

Other river restoration efforts have yielded significant results:
* Naiya Nadi (14 km, Swar block): Generated 42,648 man-days and provided employment to 465 families. The river flows through villages like Hasanpur North, Ladpur Semra, Khushalpur, and others.
* Aril River (15 km, Shahabad block): Created 4,260 man-days. Passes through Nadarganj, Khanjipura, and four other gram panchayats.
* Neeli Nadi (12 km, Chamraua block): Resulted in 36,000 man-days and jobs for 620 families.
* Revati River (12 km, Chamraua block): Benefitted seven gram panchayats, created 27,000 man-days, and provided employment to 545 families.

Fulfilling the vision of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the age-old saying is now coming true — “Where the river flows, prosperity follows.” The river rejuvenation campaign in Rampur has not only boosted groundwater levels and irrigation facilities, but also created sustainable employment opportunities. It is a shining example of environmental restoration along with economic empowerment in rural Uttar Pradesh.