Not to be published/broadcast  Before 14th Sept., 2009   

      Swan River Integrated Watershed Management Project being implemented with financial assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency over a project areas of 61,900  hectares and covering 95 Gram Panchayats in Una district has started yielding good results. Started in the year 2007-08 in 15 Gram Panchayats of Una district, Rs. 23.3 crore have been spent on aforestation, soil and water management, livelihood improvement etc. upto March, 2009 under the project and a sum of Rs. 20 crore is being spent this year to carry out various activities under the project. 21 water harvesting structures have been constructed in Una, Gagret and Amb areas of the district at a cost of Rs. 1.50 crore.

         Shri Kartar Chand of Takrala village in Una district is today the happiest man. Having only 9 canals of agricultural land, he was able to bring almost his entire land under irrigation after the farm pond was constructed under the project. The production of crops being grown by him had increased manifold.

        Habib Mohammad another  marginal farmer of Takrala Gram Panchayat having 66 canal agriculture land has also been benefitted from the water harvesting structures renovated and constructed under the project. There was a drastic change in the cropping pattern productivity and net farm income of Habib Mohammad from the same land has increased manifold.

             Another Panchayat Nangnoli was undertaken for the implementation under the project and intensive works of soil and moisture conservation, aforestation, were taken in hand. These works helped in ground water recharge. The villagers started receiving lot of benefits by the catchment treatment works carried out under the project and the impact can be seen by ground water recharge. Water came out in a dry well and was recorded four feet. There are about 40 user families of this well. A pumping set has been installed by the villagers and the motor is operated for 14 to 15 hours daily and the well does not go dry. The villagers feel that it is a miracle for them and they are very happy.

              The Forest Department of the State is responsible for the overall management and coordination of the Project including implementation of aforestation, soil protection works in forest land, civil works for soil and river management in forest land, livelihood improvement and overall management of institutional building and consulting services. The other departments entrusted works under the project are Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Irrigation and Public Health and Rural Development. They are responsible for improvement of overall production of Agriculture through introduction of new technologies, training and awareness of farming community, implementation of civil works for soil and river management in non-forest lands, livelihood improvement and institution building in agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, irrigation and public health and rural development sector.

      The catchment of Swan River known as a river of sorrows so far, consists of fragile and vulnerable Shiwalik hills, supporting no worthwhile vegetation cover, except badly degraded private free land under almost unscientific private management of respective owners and a few government reserve forests of moderate density but poor quality. The land is heavily honey combed by private cultivations, which is the main stay of the local population. The major part of the catchment area of Swan River, having poor vegetative cover, gave birth to notorious Swan River in Una District. The river has been responsible for dwindling economy of the area. The river keeps changing its course frequently during rains, bringing heavy flood, debris to spread on fertile agriculture land. On either side, spelling slow death of valuable soil resources, resulting in poor economy and poor condition of the people.

          Watershed management is integral to sustainable forest management, Watershed approach is gaining importance in planning and implementation of natural resource management programme, especially forestry programmes. Such approach is being used to check soil erosion and denudation of catchment areas of Swan River for mitigating floods, land slides and for reducing siltation.