Falgu encroachment removal drive set to begin after years of delay

Gaya: Years after the Patna high court ordered the removal of encroachments from the Falgu river and restoration of its original condition, the long-delayed exercise is finally set to begin in Gaya.

The district administration had earlier identified nearly 900 permanent encroachments along both banks of the river. Although several attempts were made to remove them, the drive failed to make progress due to political interference.

Gaya municipal commissioner Abhishek Palasia said the decision was taken at a meeting chaired by divisional commissioner Safina A N. He said the exercise would be carried out in phases and the first phase was likely to begin in June.

Sources in the administration said the proposed Rs 2,390 crore Vishnupad Corridor project has added urgency to the drive. Removal of encroachments is considered essential for beautification and improving access to the area.

However, environmental activists argue that clearing encroachments alone will not be enough to revive the river.

“Encroachment removal alone was not enough to salvage the river and make the city more eco friendly,” said Brajnandan Pathak, RTI activist and organiser of the Falgu Maha Arti.

He said indiscriminate sand mining and soil erosion had reduced the riverbed’s porosity, affecting underground water storage and groundwater recharge. Geologists believe the Falgu has a natural bowl-shaped subsurface water storage system, making conservation of the riverbed crucial for Gaya’s water security.

Pathak pointed out that a team of experts led by late S N Chakhaiyyar, former head of the PG botany department at Magadh University, had recommended a complete ban on sand mining between Bodh Gaya and Bitho village to protect the river’s natural water-retention capacity.

Asked about the recommendation, Palasia said decisions on sand mining fall outside the jurisdiction of the Gaya Municipal Corporation and can only be taken by the govt.

Observers say sand mining, encroachment and dumping of solid waste have emerged as major environmental challenges for Gaya.