Mirzapur, Agra clinch water awards

UP won two honours in the sixth edition of the National Water Awards 2024. Mirzapur was declared the Best District in the northern zone for effective implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission and Atal Bhujal Yojana. The district revived reservoirs, built drains and expanded irrigation in rural areas with strong support from panchayats and local residents. Community-driven efforts in rainwater harvesting and pond rejuvenation helped villages increase groundwater levels. Agra Municipal Corporation secured joint third place in the Best Urban Local Body category for adopting leakage-tracking systems and smart metering.

Place of Kaliyug’s advent to be a tourist spot

The site believed to mark the beginning of Kaliyug will soon be developed into a tourist destination. The government has allocated Rs 2 crore to beautify the ashram of Maharishi Shringi at Parikshitgarh in Meerut. It is a key stop in the state’s Mahabharat Circuit. Mahabharata and Shrimad Bhagavat Geeta recount that King Parikshit, angered when Sage Samika ignored his request for water, placed a dead snake around his neck. Samika’s son Maharishi Shringi cursed Parikshit to die within seven days by the bite of the serpent Takshak—that marked the start of Kaliyug. The yagyashala, havan kund, and banyan tree at the site are still revered as witnesses.