Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal on Tuesday said that the Saraswati Heritage Development Board has prepared a scheme to develop tourist and pilgrimage spots of 93 villages in three districts of the State. These included 45 villages of district Yamunanagar, 21 of district Kaithal and 27 of Kurukshetra, said the Chief Minister while speaking in Kurukshetra. He said that under the scheme of the Board, ponds would be constructed near cremation grounds on the banks of Saraswati River for immersion of the ashes. These ponds would be named as ‘Saraswati Ghats’. Besides, about 100 drains would be closed to keep the river water clean, he said. Apart from this, the 204-km main channel from Adibadri to village Aandhali of district Kaithal at Punjab border, and then 150-km ‘Saraswati Dharas’ would be developed, he added. Notably, the State Government had constituted Haryana Saraswati Heritage Development Board (HSHDB) with an objective to initiate, promote and support research in the field of Saraswati river and also, to assist in its preservation and restoration of the mythological river.
The BJP led Haryana Government had in 2015 decided to restore Saraswati creek from Adi Badri to Mustafabad in Yamunanagar district and set up Adi Badri Heritage Board. The Saraswati river, considered sacred in Hindu religion, finds mention in ancient Hindu scriptures like the Rig Veda, Mahabharata, Ramayana and others, giving credence to the belief that it existed during those times. The State Government has planned to organise “Rashtriya Saraswati Mahotsav” in February 2017 as a part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the formation of Haryana.