The Pilibhit administration on Thursday initiated a campaign to persuade farmers across 16 village panchayats to voluntarily donate land to restore the natural flow of the Gomti river along its 47.2-kilometer stretch in the district.
Background of the Initiative
Led by District Magistrate Gyanendra Singh, the initiative aims to rectify a decades-old anomaly dating back to 1952. After India's independence, during the preparation of revenue records, the entire river course was mistakenly recorded in the names of farmers. Consequently, the river was left without any land officially registered in its name.
Origin and Course of the Gomti River
The Gomti River originates from Phulhar Lake in Madhotanda village and flows approximately 960 kilometers through several districts of Uttar Pradesh before merging with the Ganga River in Ghazipur. Officials are also considering compensatory land exchanges to encourage farmer participation in the restoration project.
Challenges from Cultivation
Over the years, cultivation along the narrow river channel has obstructed the river's natural flow. During summer, the river dries up along a 5-6 kilometer stretch as artesian wells in Phulhar Lake have either become choked or release only minimal water, insufficient to sustain the stream. To maintain water flow, the administration currently feeds the lake using solar-powered pumps and canal water diverted through a man-made channel. Despite restrictions on summer paddy cultivation, farmers continue using the riverbed for farming. Experts believe that such cultivation, which depends entirely on groundwater, has significantly contributed to falling groundwater levels in the region.
Administrative Measures
“We are preparing a list of farmers who own land along the river track and will persuade them to voluntarily donate it. A panel will also identify vacant land for exchange,” said the District Magistrate. He added that experts from the Indian Institute of Hydrology and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing would study the condition of the lake's artesian wells. Earlier this week, the DM and senior officials manually excavated parts of the river channel to promote voluntary participation in clearing encroachments.
