River & Youth
Connecting Youth with the Lifeline of Civilization
River & Youth
Rivers are the lifeline of all civilizations as they provide a plethora of life giving benefits. In many countries rivers are worshiped as their sacred mother for they nurture us with life giving fresh water. It is the source of life, bowl of biodiversity, means of agriculture, trade, commerce, transport, an important element of global hydrological cycle etc. It runs through our history and folklore, and link us to people and their civilizations. They nourish and refresh us and provide a home to dazzling varieties of fish, wildlife trees and myriad varieties of plants. Be it the Amazon, the Mississippi or our very own indigenous, sacred ever flowing Ganges, every river has a unique identity and a character of its own which flows not just past landscapes, but through our cultures and rituals resonating with a tingling, sensation, vibrating and exciting every cell of the body when we witness its magnificence and grandeur , as it flows.
But, due to some unscientific, anthropogenic practices, this valuable natural resource is now is in threatened conditions. May be it is due to the lack of proper knowledge, may be our negligence on them, may be it is due to misunderstanding about the sharing of responsibilities …. whatever may be ….. Now the time has come to come forward to raise voice as well as responsibilities to protect this lifeline of civilizations and there is no doubt about the collective power of youth in this regard.
Connecting the Power of Youth
with the Lifeline of Civilization
Youth River Parliament
#YRP is an initiative of CRA-SAIARD which has been started with a vision to connect the young minds with the “Lifeline of Civilization” and the various initiatives of Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt. of India. It will be state level program where students from the different academic institutions will take part in it through its various activities and will get the opportunity in case of policy support.
Save River Campaign
To create awareness and momentum amongst all sections of society and particularly youth, SAIARD-Centre for River Affairs, since 2021, has started a national level awareness program i.e. “Save Rive Campaign” in collaboration with the National Mission for Clean Ganga, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt of India. Students from different academic institutions throughout India have already been participated in this mission and they have cleaned more than 20 kms. of different river areas like Bhagirathi, Hugly, Chambal etc. Also they part in case of creation of awareness among the common masses through their different initiatives like street drama, leaflet share, organizing seminars etc. on behalf of their own institutions.
Clean Ganga & River Perception Study
SAIARD-Centre for River Affairs in association with the National Mission for Clean Ganga, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt of India & National Institute of Urban Affairs, have been organized a one day Clean Ganga Campaign & River Perception Study at Panihati, a more than 600 years old small town stands beside the bank of river Ganges. More than 40 students from different academic institutions throughout India with their teachers had joined in this program along with the local government officials. After cleaning ghats, SAIARD has conducted a field study to know the perception of common people about the relevance of river Ganga to them.
River Heritage Walk
To assimilate with the cultural pride of Bengal, SAIARD Centre for River Affairs has organized a River Heritage Walk at Panihati, a more than 600 years old small town stands beside the bank of river Ganges, on the auspicious occasion of World Environment Day-2022. More than 30 students from different academic institutions throughout India with their teachers had joined in this program.
River Volunteers
Rivers play a vital role in supporting life on Earth, serving as a source of freshwater, biodiversity, and ecosystems that sustain communities and the environment. However, rivers worldwide are facing numerous challenges, such as pollution, habitat degradation, and water scarcity. To address these issues, to protect our rivers, and to connect youth power in the case of river rejuvenation, the concept of "River Volunteers" emerges as a powerful and community-driven initiative of SAIARD where under-graduate and post-graduate students from different academic institutions may come together to actively take part in the conservation, restoration, awareness, and preservation of their local rivers. Besides that, as a River Volunteer, they can take part of SAIARD’s Youth River Parliament and River Expeditions too, which will help them to gain field-based knowledge and the opportunity to interact with the world.
