22/09/2023 I UPSC DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS
1.Fourth River Festival
2. Kisan e-Mitra – Launch of PM Kisan AI-Chatbot
3. Who is Khalistani community?
4. Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano
5. The largest military exercise by NATO member countries after the Cold War
6. “Meri Mati Mera Desh” Campaign
River Festival
River Festival is an annual event that celebrates the glory and importance of rivers in India. This festival is organized by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. During the River Utsav, various events are organized on different rivers, including:
Cleanliness campaign:
Campaigns are organized to clean the river banks and reduce pollution.
Cultural programmes: Music, dance and other cultural programs related to the river are organised.
Naturalist Programme: Programs are organized to raise awareness about the ecology and importance of rivers.
The aim of the river festival is to make people aware about rivers and motivate them to keep them clean and healthy.
River festivals are organized in different states of India. In 2022, the river festival was held on 4 November. This year, the main event of Nadi Utsav was held at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many other ministers and officials participated in the event.
River festivals are a great way to showcase people’s love and respect for rivers in India. This is an occasion when people can come together and pledge to work for the conservation of rivers.
Ganga
The largest river of India is Ganga. The total length of Ganga is 2,525 kilometers. It originates from the Gomukh Glacier in the Himalayas and flows through Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Bangladesh. River Ganga is the most important river of India. It is important for agriculture, water supply, transportation and religious rituals.
Other major rivers of India include the Godavari, Krishna, Yamuna, Narmada, Brahmaputra and Indus.
Yamuna
Yamuna River is a major river of India that originates from the Yamunotri Glacier in the Himalayas and joins the Ganges River at Prayag (Prayagraj). It is the largest tributary of river Ganga.
The Yamuna River originates from the Yamunotri Glacier near the Bandarpoonch peaks in the Mussoorie range of the lower Himalayas at an altitude of about 6387 meters above sea level in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. Yamunotri Glacier is a huge iceberg spread over an area of about 15 square kilometers.
Yamuna River flows through Uttarakhand and then enters Uttar Pradesh. In Uttar Pradesh, it flows through Delhi, Mathura, Agra, Etawah and Prayag. At Prayag, it joins the river Ganga.
The total length of Yamuna river is 1,370 kilometers. It is the fifth longest river of India.
Tributaries
The Yamuna River has several tributaries, including:
* Chambal
* Sanger
*Chhoti Sindhu
* Betwa
* ken
Cultural significance
Yamuna River is an important river in Hindu religion. This is the sacred river of Goddess Lakshmi and Saraswati. Many Hindu temples and pilgrimage sites are located on the banks of river Yamuna.
Pollution
Yamuna river is facing the threat of pollution. Waste water from Delhi and other cities is causing pollution in the river. Many efforts are being made to reduce the pollution of Yamuna River.