DM orders probe into encroachment allegations in Ghurari River

Jhansi: District magistrate, Gaurang Rathi, has constituted a multi-departmental committee to investigate allegations of encroachment, illegal construction and pollution in the Ghurari River, following directions issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).The Ghurari River, a tributary of the Betwa, flows through parts of UP and MP and serves as a vital source of water for several villages along its course.The river had gained national attention when PM Modi, during the 114th episode of his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme, praised the efforts of the ‘Jal Saheli’ group of rural women volunteers in Jhansi’s Babina block for helping revive the nearly dried-up river by restoring a damaged check dam using sand-filled sacks.The issue came to the fore after members of the Jal Saheli group from Simrawari village lodged complaints with local authorities alleging large-scale encroachment of the riverbed and catchment area few months ago.They claimed that illegal construction activities posed a serious threat to the river’s existence and violated statutory provisions that prohibit construction within the 100-year High Flood Level (HFL) zone.Complaints were also raised regarding the dumping of garbage along the riverbanks, which allegedly narrowed the river channel and affected its natural flow.Subsequently, environmental activists Narendra Kushwaha and Pankaj Rawat along with their team approached the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal.The petitioners alleged that encroachments, illegal constructions, dumping of soil and debris, siltation, spread of water hyacinth and discharge of polluted water into the river had severely affected its natural flow and water-retention capacity.Taking cognisance of the matter, the NGT directed the district magistrates of Jhansi and Niwari district in MP to take necessary action and address the environmental concerns raised in the petition.