INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY FIELD

Abstract:   Water scarcity has emerged as a critical challenge in India, affecting not only rural populations but also rapidly expanding urban centers, ecosystems, and agricultural productivity. Apart from the limited availability of freshwater, excessive pollution has led to the deterioration of river systems, drying of reservoirs during lean seasons, and declining groundwater recharge. Although several river-cleaning initiatives have been launched by the Government of India, inadequate infrastructure, weak enforcement mechanisms, and uncontrolled discharge of industrial and domestic effluents continue to undermine river health. According to the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), nearly 21 major Indian cities are at risk of exhausting their groundwater resources, and unsafe drinking water causes approximately 200,000 deaths annually. This article emphasizes the urgent need for comprehensive river quality management as a sustainable solution to the urban water crisis in India. It critically reviews existing river-cleaning initiatives in India and abroad and discusses physical, chemical, biological, and ecological remediation technologies that can be adopted for sustainable river restoration and water resource management.