Vaitarna


The Vaitarana River is a river in Nashik and Palghar district of Maharashtra. Tanasa is its left bank tributary and Pinjal, Dehraja, Surya are its right bank tributaries. Upper stretches of Vaitarna are clean but in lower stretches it's polluted due to untreated industrial and civic waste. Vaitarna is one of the most polluted rivers in India.

Course

It originates in Sahyadri mountain ranges near Trimbakeshwar. Vaitarna river is just 2 km away from India’s second longest river Godavari. Vaitarna has a confluence with the Tanasa just before it enters the Arabian Sea. Jhow and Wadhiv islands lie in its estuary. Arnala Island lies off its mouth. It has three major dams which supply water to Mumbai.

Significance

Vaitarna supplies much of Mumbai's drinking water. It is the largest river in the Northern Konkan region and drains Maharashtra's whole Palghar District.

Legacy

The, a steamship, was named after the river.