Dry Gomti brings Pilibhit land record flaws in focus

PILIBHIT: The Gomti river, a major tributary of the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh, has nearly dried up along most of its stretch in Pilibhit. The river lacks legally recognised land for its course, causing significant water loss and misuse.
Revered in Hindu scriptures as the daughter of sage Vashishth and mentioned in the Bhagvat Puran, the land that falls in the river’s course has erroneously been recorded in the names of local farmers.“This flaw has existed since 1952, when revenue records were established in independent India, distinguishing areas for rivers, reservoirs, crematoriums, graveyards, and more. However, the 71km land over which the river flows through 16 village panchayats in Pilibhit is officially recorded in the names of farmers,” Desh Deepak Mishra, Pilibhit’s district govt counsel (revenue), said.
Most of the Gomti’s river bed has been used for farming as it is legally owned by farmers. Ashutosh Gupta, the sub-divisional magistrate of Kalinagar, confirmed that legal steps are being taken to transfer the land from farmers to the river’s entity in revenue records. “We have sought legal advice and referred the issue to the UP Revenue Council,” he said, adding that the administration cannot claim the land currently in farmers’ possession due to this anomaly.
Originating from Gomat Taal in Madhotanda village, the Gomti traverses 960km through several districts, including Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Kheri, Hardoi, Sitapur, Lucknow, Barabanki, Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Jaunpur, and Varanasi, before joining the Ganga in Ghazipur.
Dr M K Goel, director of the Roorkee-based National Institute of Hydrology, said, “The exact reasons for the dried river can only be determined through physical inspection and soil analysis. However, the water loss could be due to choked artesian wells of the Gomat Taal and extensive paddy cultivation in the surrounding areas.”
Dr Ravindra Kumar, a former plant physiologist at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, explained the impact of summer paddy cultivation on groundwater recharge. “A significant portion of groundwater used for summer paddy is lost through evaporation and runoff,” he said.
The revenue administration of Pilibhit is grappling with the rapidly drying river in most of its stream parts within the district. Over 80% of its stretch in Pilibhit is devoid of water. Given the lack of state funding for this severe water loss, sub-divisional magistrate Gupta has outlined a plan to rejuvenate the river with the help of social volunteers, NGOs, and local communities. He said, “We are attempting to replenish its water level using a solar pumping unit and a nearby canal. Increasing pollution on the riverbanks is another grim problem.”
Meanwhile, Gupta said, “The proposed drive focuses on maintaining the eternal water flow in the river stream, removing silt from the riverbed, eliminating pollution from the riverbanks, and planting trees along both banks to prevent encroachment and maintain environmental balance.”
Six social organisations have volunteered to help clear up the river track and remove silt in response to a call for action. Authorities hopes the efforts will help restore the Gomti and address the issues caused by its mismanaged land records.