Singthara Jheel destroying crops for over 200 years

Following is the contents of the letter sent to the District Magistrate of Budaun (UP) to resolve the grime situation of flooding in the Palai-Singthara region due to non-existance of the drain.

Singthara Jheel at Palai-Budaun

   

With reference to the regular flooding situation in Bisauli Tehsil, we take this opportunity to bring to your kind notice the deteriorating condition of nearly 10 adjoining villages in the Singhthara Jheel region of Budaun District.

The Singhthara lake which is spread across approx. 500 acres of land, from Palai to Disauliganj village, had been a major cause of flooding in a wide spread area since pre-independence era, particularly during the monsoon season. Although the British tried to make a way out for the water logging the project ran into bad weathers due to improper planning and the problem could not be resolved. In the post-independence times also the trouble for the region continued and the problem of water level rising above the required levels damaged standing crops year after year. Concerned about such issue of the masses, a Shramdaan was organized by the people of the region to drain the excessive water of Singhthara Jheel into the nearby ‘Sot’ river. However, when the project was underway in village Mai-Basai area, the politically motivated people of the village disrupted the digging work and got an interim stay on further continuation of the project from the Hon’ble Allahabad High Court. The district administration had to deploy PAC to dispel the deteriorating law and order situation at the site.

With the people of the region still suffering, Mr Narvijay Yadav (a student of Allahabad University then and a Senior-Journalist and a Public Relations Expert) of Palai village, volunteered another initiative for the development of the region in 1987 and with the intervention by the then MLA & Irrigation Minister Late Mr Bhola Shankar Maurya got sanctioned the digging of a drain from Singhthara Jheel to Sot River. Special emergency orders were issued by the state government to initiate the work within 15 days and the work of the drain was completed in a short time thus bringing relief to the people of the region.

But it is ironical and unfortunate to mention that the area is once again has become a gloom for the region. It is known that the villagers of Mai-Basai have once again blocked and obstructed the smooth drainage of water by installing walls and barriers within the drain. This is again causing problem to the villages surrounding the Jheel and water-logging has again become the matter of concern. Area spread over thousands of acres is affected every year as flooding causes immense damage to the crops, infrastructure and safety of the people. The area turns into a virtual marsh where rain water submerges roads, houses, schools and all other low lying buildings. The biggest sufferers are the farmers of the region whose crops worth lakhs of rupees are damaged every year due to this sole reason. Health problems are posed and the fertility of the land is damaged to a large extent due to this problem.

Thus, understanding our moral duty towards the society, state and country we wish to draw your kind attention towards this miserable situation of the hapless people of the region. It is humbly prayed that urgent and concrete measures may kindly be ordered to relieve the people of the region from this pathetic condition. It is further to mention that the area being a part of your Jurisdiction deserves your personal attention and efforts for a timely solution.

(Narvijay Yadav)

For more information: Narvijay Yadav, Founder President, Prakash Foundation  
Email: prakashfoundation.india@gmail.com, Twitter @NarvijayYadav