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F.O.R.T MOVEMENT

Friends of River Tawi

Campaign Background & Milestones

Friends of River Tawi is a citizen-led initiative rooted in Jammu, dedicated to protecting and restoring the ecological and cultural integrity of River Tawi — the lifeline of the region. The campaign brings together a coalition of communities, activists, researchers, students, nature lovers, and civil society organizations with a shared vision: to ensure a clean, free-flowing, and culturally respected Tawi River.

This initiative emerged from deep public concern over growing threats to the river’s health, including industrial and domestic pollution, encroachments, illegal sand mining, rampant unregulated construction, and sustained policy inaction. At its core, the campaign champions the rights of the river, biodiversity conservation, and the rebuilding of a sustainable, respectful human-river relationship.

The Genesis: Post-COVID Cleanup Drive (September 19, 2020)

The origins of Friends of River Tawi can be traced back to a landmark event held on September 19, 2020, shortly after the COVID-19 lockdowns began to ease. Recognizing the need to act swiftly for the environment while also re-engaging citizens in collective action, Climate Front Jammu initiated the first large-scale cleanup drive along the banks of River Tawi.

This cleanup effort was a collaborative endeavor involving:

  • Climate Front Jammu (lead initiator)
  • Rotaract Club Jammu
  • Disha Foundation
  • Jammu Municipal Corporation
  • All Jammu Kashmir Youth Federation
  • Environmental Awareness Forum
  • Alongside many individual volunteers, students, and residents of Jammu.

The drive symbolized a collective awakening — reasserting community ownership of the river and sending a strong message of hope and responsibility. What started as a post-COVID ecological intervention evolved into a growing, persistent movement — Friends of River Tawi committed to long-term river restoration

Key Initiatives & Campaign Activities

Over time, the campaign has expanded its scope, combining on-the-ground activism with citizen science and policy engagement.

Key efforts include:

🧹 Cleanup Drives

  • Periodic riverbank cleanups to remove plastic, debris, and pollutants from key stretches of River Tawi.
  • Mobilization of local volunteers, school and college students, and civil society groups.

📚 Awareness & Outreach

  • Organizing walkathons, community talks, exhibitions, workshops, and school programs.
  • Use of social media platforms (like Instagram and Facebook) to amplify public awareness and storytelling

🌊 Citizen Science & Monitoring

  • River health assessments and pollution tracking.
  • Community-led documentation of illegal activities like sand mining and encroachment.

🏛️ Policy Engagement

  • Submitting memorandums and demands to local governance bodies.
  • Advocating for river rights, stricter enforcement of environmental laws, and inclusion of river protection in city planning.

🌿 Biodiversity Conservation

  • Highlighting the ecological role of the river and surrounding ecosystems.
  • Educating people on the native flora and fauna supported by the Tawi ecosystem.

World Environment Day 2024: “TAWI LAYI – Dosti Ka Suraksha Kavach”

On the occasion of World Environment Day 2024, Friends of River Tawi (FORT) hosted a powerful and symbolic public engagement event titled “TAWI LAYI – Dosti Ka Suraksha Kavach” (A Shield of Friendship for Tawi) at the Tawi Biodiversity Park, Bikram Chowk, Jammu.

The event aimed to spotlight the urgent need to protect River Tawi from ecological threats posed by urban infrastructure projects — particularly the controversial Tawi Riverfront Development Project, which, according to environmentalists, risks reducing the river’s natural flow width and damaging its biodiversity-rich riparian habitats.

🌳 Friendship Bands To Protect Tawi Biodiversity Park

The day began with volunteers, activists, students, and local citizens tying colorful “friendship bands” to trees in the Tawi Biodiversity Park , which is under threat from Destructive Devlopment of TAWI RIVER FRONT DEVLOPMENT PROJECT, due to its real estate Value. Each band symbolized a personal pledge of solidarity with nature — a commitment to protect the trees, the river, and the fragile ecosystem they support.

This symbolic act resonated deeply with participants, who viewed it as a spiritual and emotional connection — a promise to treat the river and its ecosystem as friends, not resources to exploit.

🚶 Solidarity March & Banner Action at Tawi Bridge

After the gathering at the park, participants embarked on a peaceful solidarity march towards the historic Tawi Bridge. Leading the procession were youth representatives, environmental defenders, and members of civil society organizations carrying banners, placards, and hand-painted messages.

At the bridge, they unfurled a massive 300-meter-long banner — stretched across a key span over the river. The banner, described as a “Suraksha Kavach” (protective shield) for the river, carried strong visual messages and slogans calling for:

  • A halt to ecologically destructive riverfront construction
  • Restoration of natural floodplains
  • Protection of the river’s original width and seasonal flows
  • Preservation of biodiversity and natural habitats

    This dramatic visual display was not just symbolic — it was designed as a bold public intervention to raise awareness and urge accountability from planners, developers, and local authorities

🗣️ Public Dialogues & Community Voices

The event also featured impromptu speeches and testimonies from local residents, environmental scientists, and youth leaders.

They highlighted:

  • The irreversible consequences of river engineering projects that prioritize cosmetic and material beautification over ecology.
  • The irreversible consequences of river engineering projects that prioritize beautification over ecology.
  • The need to center river conservation in urban planning and public policy

📣 Call For Citizens of Jammu

“TAWI LAYI – Dosti Ka Suraksha Kavach” was more than a one-day event — it marked a resurgence of public commitment to defend the river from poorly planned development. FORT used the occasion to renew its call for:

  • Transparent Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) of the riverfront project.
  • Inclusive public consultations before altering the river landscape.
  • Legal recognition of river rights as living ecological entities.

The Vision Ahead

Friends of River Tawi stands not only as a campaign, but as a community-led river movement. It envisions a future where River Tawi flows with dignity — clean, unpolluted, and revered — and where the people of Jammu reclaim their cultural and ecological bond with this sacred river.

Whether through grassroots cleanups or systemic advocacy, the campaign is steadily fostering a collective sense of environmental stewardship — rooted in love for the river and a duty to future generations.

The campaign continues to gain momentum, standing as a testament to the growing people’s movement for ecological justice in Jammu. Through symbolism, science, and solidarity, Friends of River Tawi is ensuring that River Tawi is not treated as just another urban project site — but as a living being deserving of protection, respect, and love.