Why in News?

• Recently, The Green Strategic Partnership between the Governments of India and Denmark has facilitated major cooperation, resulting in the establishment of the Smart Laboratory on Clean Rivers (SLCR) in Varanasi.

Key Points:

=> It is a unique tripartite initiative between the Government of India (Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation), the Indian Institute of Technology - Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU), and Government of Denmark, to bring excellence in small river rejuvenation and management.

=> The SLCR seeks to restore the Varuna River using sustainable methods. Its goals include establishing a collaborative platform for government agencies, academic institutions, and local communities to exchange knowledge and devise solutions for maintaining clean river water.

=> The initiative includes a hybrid lab model at IIT-BHU and a living lab on the Varuna River to test and scale solutions in real-world environments.

=> The Indo-Danish Joint Steering Committee (JSC) is the highest forum for SLCR which provides strategic guidance and reviews progress.

=> The Project Review Committee (PRC), with members from National Mission on Clean Ganga (NMCG), Central Water Commission (CWC), Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), IIT-BHU and Denmark's Urban Sector Counsellor will oversee quality control at project level.

Four projects to be taken up under the collaboration:

• The First project involves creating a Decision Support System (DSS) for water management, designed to analyze basin water dynamics using hydrological models, scenario generation, forecasting, and data analytics.
• The second project focuses on the characterization of emerging pollutants and fingerprint analysis. It will use advanced analytical techniques, such as chromatography and mass spectrometry, to identify and quantify contaminants.
• The Hydrogeological Model of the Varuna Basin for Recharge Sites will be the fourth project. It aims to enhance base flow through Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR).

Varuna River:

=> It is a Minor Tributary of the Ganga River. It rises from Phulpur town in the Prayagraj district.

=> It flows into the Ganges river near Sarai Mohana village in the Varanasi district.

=> The name 'Varanasi' district is derived from the names of Two rivers, Varuna and Assi rivers.