Citizens, state officials come together to rejuvenate Ur river in MP

The Ur is almost 85 km in length. Increased encroachment has led to a decline in forest cover and there's a steady emptying of traditional ponds

Proximity is enough for a spark of inspiration between two districts separated by a state border. Tikamgarh, situated in northern Madhya Pradesh, has taken inspiration from Uttar Pradesh’s Lalitpur district on how to rejuvenate a river.

Lalitpur, which is an hour’s drive from Tikamgarh, had revived the Ody a couple of years ago. The 18 km river in Lalitpur had over years of neglect begun to resemble a drain. But a focused effort of two years led by locals and supported by the district administration ensured that it became a river again with flowing water and associated benefits for drought-prone