University of Jammu launches ‘Save Tawi Campaign’ during the culmination of Navratri festival

Jammu October 01: Department of Environmental Sciences and Green Campus Task Force (GCTF-JU), in collaboration with Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) organized its two-day flagship initiative, “Save Tawi Campaign”, on the banks of River Tawi during the last two days of Navratri festival on September 30th and October 1st, 2025.

The objective of this drive was to raise awareness among the public regarding the significance of preserving the cleanliness of River Tawi, along with highlighting the causes and consequences of immersing plastic and other non-biodegradable materials during the ritual of ‘Saakh Visarjan’.

As part of the campaign, the students and the volunteers actively engaged with the devotees and motivated them to immerse only the traditional ‘Saakh’ into the river. They also collected offerings like chunris, coconuts, earthen pots, and polythene bags from the devotees at the entry point and ensured their proper segregation.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Deepika Slathia, Head, Department of Environmental Sciences, and Convener, GCTF-JU, underscored the need for adopting effective measures and sustainable practices for the preservation and safeguarding the Tawi River, which serves as the lifeline of Jammu. She further highlighted the significance of nurturing a sense of ecological responsibility among the masses, particularly during festive celebrations.

Dr. Neeraj Sharma, Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences, stressed that student participation in such initiatives cultivates in them a strong sense of environmental stewardship and offers a hands-on, interactive approach to understanding the sources of water pollution, and identifying sustainable solutions for protecting our aquatic resources.

Later, Dr Vinodh Sharma, Health Officer, JMC interacted with the volunteers and lauded their efforts in maintaining the river cleanliness.

The devotees also appreciated the initiative of the department and extended full cooperation in ensuring the success of the campaign. The program culminated with an effective cleanliness drive along the riverbanks.

At the end, Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Associate professor, expressed his gratitude to JMC for providing the necessary facilities for the event. He also commended the JMC staff for their prompt and efficient collection and disposal of the segregated waste.

The event also witnessed the active participation of other faculty members of the department, including Dr. Anshu Gupta, and Dr. Suresh Kumar, along with the volunteers and research scholars.