By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
After years of neglect, the Uttarakhand government has launched a cleaning and rejuvenation drive in the highly polluted Rispana river in Dehradun.
However, it was not yet clear whether the government would also focus on the collection of garbage from all those settlements which are responsible for creating pollution in Rispana.
Officials said the river restoration work is being carried out with the help of 12 JCB machines and 15 dumpers to remove garbage, debris and obstructions from the riverbed.
Dehradun District Magistrate Dr. Ashish Chauhan on Wednesday conducted an on-site inspection of the cleaning and rejuvenation work in the Rispana River in the Rajiv Nagar area, emphasizing the need to complete the exercise before the onset of the monsoon season.
Mayor Saurabh Thapliyal and Municipal Commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey accompanied the District Magistrate, who reviewed the progress and quality of the work and directed officials to expedite the work. The visit marked the first occasion on which Dehradun’s senior-most officials inspected the Rispana River on the ground, directly assessing its condition and the progress of the cleanup operation.
Dr. Chauhan said ensuring comprehensive cleaning of the Rispana before the rainy season is a key priority of the district administration to maintain smooth drainage and strengthen river conservation efforts.
The officials claimed the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) has launched a special cleanliness drive across its jurisdiction since March. Under the drive, nearly 17,000 metric tonnes of waste have been removed so far from different areas in city.
The officials also claimed that cleaning operations are underway along an 8-km stretch of the Bindal River and a 12-km stretch of the Rispana River, besides regular desilting and waste removal in city drains and water channels.
During the inspection, the District Magistrate said a comprehensive action plan is being prepared under the Namami Gange programme and the District Sanitation Committee to identify and clear garbage spots. Steps are also being planned to treat untreated sewage flowing into the river.
He stressed that a long-term and practical roadmap for the rejuvenation of the Rispana river would be implemented in phases through coordinated efforts of the district administration, DMC and other departments.
Commenting on the Rispana cleaning drive, the social activists and politicians called for sincere efforts. “We must focus on the collection of garbage from all those settlements where people are throwing garbage in the Rispana river,” said Congress leader Rajkumar. “This is a good move provided the work of cleaning and rejuvenation is done with all sincerity,” said Dr Anil Jaggi, a social activist.
Caption: Dehradun DM Dr Ashish Chauhan inspecting cleaning and rejuvenation works at Rispana river on Wednesday.