Kanhan River
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The Kanhan River is an important right bank tributary of the
Wainganga River The Wainganga is a river in India originating in the Mahadeo Hills in Mundara near the village Gopalganj in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh. It is a key tributary of the Godavari. The river flows south in a winding course through the states of Madhya Prade ...
draining a large area lying south of
Satpura range The Satpura Range is a range of hills in central India. The range rises in eastern Gujarat running east through the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and ends in Chhattisgarh. The range parallels the Vindhya Range to the north, and these ...
in central
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. Along its 275 km run through the Indian States of
Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
&
Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
, it receives its largest tributary -
Pench River The Pench River is an Indian tributary of the Kanhan River. It originates in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh and flows across Pench National Park, which is a reserve for the Tiger Project of India. The two big dams of the Pench River ...
, a major water source for the metropolis of
Nagpur Nagpur (pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, aːɡpuːɾ is the third largest city and the winter capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the 13th largest city in India by population and according to an Oxford's Economics report, Nag ...
. Kanhan was surprisingly not mentioned in the 2001 list of notified rivers in
Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
which has led to unrestricted exploitation in the form of
sand mining Sand mining is the extraction of sand, mainly through an open pit (or sand pit) but sometimes mined from beaches and inland dunes or dredged from ocean and river beds. Sand is often used in manufacturing, for example as an abrasive or in conc ...
along the river bed. This failure to recognise its presence has been viewed as a deliberate attempt at unregulated economic gains. The catchment area has also seen large scale coal mining in recent years. Efforts are currently underway to notify the river to prevent further
environmental damage Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as quality of air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of wildlife; and pollution. It is defin ...
. This has been undermined by plans for construction of a barrage. The river was perennial until a few decades ago, but now goes dry by February every year.


Sources

The Kanhan rises on the slopes of the hills at the southern edge of the Satpura range to the north of Damua and west of Junnardeo, a town in
Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
, India. The source lacks clear documentation and is not celebrated or considered holy, unlike most other rivers of a similar size.


Course


Within Madhya Pradesh

The Kanhan is Wainganga's longest tributary, at 275 km. It rises in the southern spurs of the
Satpura Range The Satpura Range is a range of hills in central India. The range rises in eastern Gujarat running east through the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and ends in Chhattisgarh. The range parallels the Vindhya Range to the north, and these ...
in the north-western region of Chhindwara District. Flowing south from its origin, Damua is the first town it encounters. Here it intersects the town and allows for its flow to be controlled by means of a dam. It then runs along a south & southeastern direction, meandering through the countryside of Chhindwara District where it has been productively harnessed for growing Tur dal and cotton. The river comes to lie about 5 km to the south of Deogarh fort where it humbly receives an insignificant tributary. Upon reaching the town of Ramakona it is crossed by a rail bridge as well as another road bridge which supports NH-26 B. Nearly at the end of its course in
Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
at Razadi Borgaon, it is joined by Jam River, and for a short distance provides a natural boundary with adjoining state
Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
.


Within Maharashtra

Within Maharashtra the river is at its widest at
Kamptee Kamptee is a suburb of Nagpur city and a municipal council in Nagpur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is part of the Nagpur metropolitan region development authority. It is the administrative center for Kamptee taluka. It i ...
where it receives the
Pench River The Pench River is an Indian tributary of the Kanhan River. It originates in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh and flows across Pench National Park, which is a reserve for the Tiger Project of India. The two big dams of the Pench River ...
- a left bank tributary and its largest one. Another tributary connecting it at its right bank is Kolar River - the spill off from Kolar Dam. The river now comes to be at the northeast of
Nagpur Nagpur (pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, aːɡpuːɾ is the third largest city and the winter capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the 13th largest city in India by population and according to an Oxford's Economics report, Nag ...
from which it receives the metropolitan city's effluent waste by way of the
Nag River The Nag River ( Marathi : नाग नदी) is a river flowing through the city of Nagpur in Maharashtra, India. It is known for providing the etymology for the name Nagpur. Forming a part of the Kanhan- Pench river system, the Nag River ori ...
. A little further from Kamptee, it flows along the town Kanhan - its etymology derived from the river. Situated alongside the town is a large coal mine, one of the many coal mines situated along its river basin. From here the river flows south-east and ends its course by joining the
Wainganga The Wainganga is a river in India originating in the Mahadeo Hills in Mundara near the village Gopalganj in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh. It is a key tributary of the Godavari. The river flows south in a winding course through the states of Madhya Prade ...
at the village of Ambora in
Nagpur District Nagpur district (Marathi pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, aːɡpuːɾ is a Districts of Maharashtra, district in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra state in central India. The city of Nagpur is the district administrative centre. The district ...
.


Dam

Sand mining activities takes place on a large scale on the Kanhan river bed preventing the construction of any major dams . Kochi barrage is one of the proposed projects on Kanhan river.


Surroundings

Mauda Super Thermal Power Station Mauda Super Thermal Power Station or NTPC Mauda is located at Mauda a Tehsil in Ramtek subdivision of Nagpur district in Nagpur revenue Division in the Berar region in the state of Maharashtra, India. The power plant is one of the coal based pow ...
,
Koradi Thermal Power Station Koradi Thermal Power Station (KTPS) is located at Koradi near Nagpur, Maharashtra. The power plant is one of the four major power plants in Vidarbha – a power surplus region of India. The power station began operations in 1974 and is one of ...
and
Khaparkheda Thermal Power Station Khaparkheda Thermal Power Station is located in Khaperkheda Town Nagpur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The power plant is one of the oldest coal based power plants of MAHAGENCO The Mahanirmiti or Mahagenco (Maharashtra State ...
are on the bank of Kanhan River. Mauda Town,
Kamthi Kamptee is a suburb of Nagpur city and a municipal council in Nagpur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is part of the Nagpur metropolitan region development authority. It is the administrative center for Kamptee taluka. It is bel ...
, Kanhan,
Sausar Sausar (Saunsar) is a city and a Municipal Council in the central India in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Sausar lies in Vidharbha region, Nagpur is the center for all the economic activities in this region which is just 72 kms from Sausar. More th ...
, Hirdagarh, Damua are few major town and cities on the bank of Kanhan River. NH-69 A, NH-26 B, NH-7, NH-6 are major National Highway crossing Kanhan River.


News

In September 2012, a youngster duo who went to swim in the river were later discovered dead along the banks, allegedly drowned in the river.


References

{{Godavari basin Rivers of Maharashtra Rivers of Madhya Pradesh Rivers of Nagpur District Tributaries of the Godavari River Rivers of India