Haryana, HP ink deal to build Adi Badri Dam, revive Saraswati river

Why in News

• Himachal Pradesh (HP) and Haryana signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the construction of a Adi Badri dam on 77 acres in HP near the Adi Badri area of Yamunanagar, Haryana for the revival of the Saraswati river.
• Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) would be the executing agency for the Adi Badri dam and its related infrastructure
• The entire funding of the Project would be arranged by the Haryana Government.

About Saraswati River:

• The report from satellite claimed that the Saraswati originated at Adi Badri, an archaeological site which is located around 40 km away from Yamunanagar town of Haryana, at the foothills of the Shivalik mountains, near the Somb river.
• The Saraswati river existed more than 5,000 years ago, but disappeared underground because of earthquakes and other geographical developments.

Research on Existence of Saraswati river:

• The team was set up at the Kurukshetra University for conducting research on Saraswati River which has proved its presence through satellite images
• The Haryana Saraswati Heritage Development Board has also been established to develop 5 riverfronts on the rejuvenated Saraswati river namely at Pipli (near Sabarmati river, Gujarat), Pehowa, Bilaspur, Dosarka (on Panchkula-Yamunanagar road) and the Theh Polar (near Saraswati-Sindhu Civilisation archaeological site).

About Adi Badri Dam:

• The Adi Badri Dam will be constructed at the starting point of the Adi Badri river in Haryana for the continuous flow of water with a notified area of 200 Kilometre (km) from Adi Badri to Ghaggar river via Kaithal.