The setting up of commission to revive the dying Udhampur’s most sacred Devika River is a welcome step. The high sewage contamination and encroachment on its bank today has made its water unfit for human use. What to talk of this even ground water quality in river and traditional Bowlis (ponds) on the bank of the river has been affected with respect to Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and there is high level of inorganic and organic pollution in it. The river has religious connection as people conduct all the rites on its bank. Despite direction of J and K High Court regarding encroachment and pollution in river administration failed to take any concrete steps to save the river. Now a 10 member Commission headed by SDM Ramnagar has been set up to identify the target stretches of the river and clearing them of encroachments. The Devika that has its source near the sacred Sudh Mahadev Temple in Chenani region, flows down through Udhampur town towards Vijaypur. The river is an integral element of the heritage and culture of the Jammu region. Its sanctity and sacredness is quite evident from the large number of temples and pilgrimage sites situated along its banks. But in due course of time, a large number of encroachments have taken place along the river bank and several commercial establishments have come up discharging untreated effluents into the holy river, impeding its flow and polluting the same. Keeping the objective of restoring the sacred river to its pristine glory, the district administration has set up the commission to demarcate the river according to the revenue records as well as identify and demarcate the encroachments that have come up along its banks and embankments which is a welcome step. The commission would be conducting survey of nearly 300 Kanals of land traversing Gangar, Rount, Shivnagar and Umara revenue villages, besides, the neighboring and adjoining areas along the course of the river to identify illegal occupation and encroachments. Will the government provide alternative sites for the illegal occupants and the encroachers?
