THE HISTORICAL ARA TOWN BECOMES SILENT WITNESS OF THE SHRINKING PONDS DUE TO APATHY OF BHOJPUR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

THE HISTORICAL ARA TOWN BECOMES SILENT WITNESS OF THE SHRINKING PONDS DUE TO APATHY OF BHOJPUR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

26-OCT-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA-------------------------People of Ara including the Bhojpur district administration are encroaching ponds and other areas at different places in Bhojpur district with impunity. At least 400 ponds are reported existed at different places in Bhojpiur district but today not more than 50 ponds are in existence. Almost all are encroached upon by people or even by the Bhojpur district administration. As long as these ponds existed, Bhojpur district never faced shortage of drinking or irrigation water in any part of the district but with the cessation of the existence of ponds, water shortage started.

In view of continuous shortage of drinking water and decline in groundwater level, the Government talks about water conservation and saving of natural sources of water considering the importance of water, the government launched a campaign to improve the existing natural water conservation system and so various schemes are being run for the renovation of old ponds as well as the construction of new ponds. However, the negligence of the administration implementing these schemes on the ground is overshadowing the government’s plans. Administrative negligence is also taking a heavy toll of people’s lives.

Encroachments of ponds are continuous in the entire Bhojpur district including the district headquarters Ara decreasing the number of ponds while the size of many ponds has reduced and their existence is limited to mere mention.

There used to be ponds on an area of more than three acres on either side of the Ara-Sasaram main road of Anaith mauja of Ara town from Dhobi Ghat to Zero miles. A large number of people from surrounding areas used to spend the Chhath festival on its bank but today the existence of this pons has vanished.

One of the oldest ponds at Ara is the historical Dink Tank (DT) Pond near Ara town police station and was constructed by the British. This pond earlier spread over an area of more than two acres, is now visible only in three kathaa and too is completely filled up and only grass is visible. The entire pond disappeared from existence. The pond located behind the Ara town police station is being encroached upon for years. Along with common people, the administrative department is also not lagging behind. earlier, the pond was filled and Amrapali Market came into existence, however the pond was encroached upon during the construction of the new building of the Ara town police station.

An important pond of Ara near Bind Toli is on the verge of extinction. The total area of the pond was spread over more than nine acres but now only a little more than one and a half acres of it is left in existence. The pond has been encroached upon from all sides but no effort is being made to save the pond. A staff of the Bhojpur District Magistrate’s office has encroached upon the pond and constructed his house. Those who campaign against encroachment have become trespassers and despite being fully aware of them, no action has been taken by any other District Magistrate including the present one. In such a situation, how can the administration take action against other insurgents? Some high ups are also encroached upon the pond.

The size of the historical Collectorate Pond has become quite small. This pond was constructed by the British for bathing and watering the horses of the Mounted Police. The specialty of the pond is that in Ara-Dehari, a big drain was made near Ara lakh of the Sone Canal and fresh water was filled in it. This drain used to reach this pond from middle of Raman Maidan via Karman Tola and was water was filled through it but now even the drain has vanished from existence, the pond has also been encroached upon. A mosque has been built on one hand while on the other, an ampe-theatre in the name of Jai Prakash Narayann Memorial has been built and thus its area has been encroached upon though concrete steps have been built around the pond. A large number of Chhath Vratis of many localities gather around the pond and celebrate Chhath.

A pond spread over three acres but now only two acres near Powerganj, Anaith, Pond near Nawada police station spread over two acres is now only 10 kattha, Pond at Tilak Nagar spread over two acres is in only one acre, pond at Moti Tola spread over two acres once, Pond at Chandawa spread over 2.5 acres, Pond at Dhobi Ghat spread over 10 kattha once, pond at Bind Toli (Murshidpur) spread over 9 acres is now in 1.5 acres, pond at Maulabagh spread over 5 acres is in now 4.5 acres, Pond at D T road, Paschchim Tola spread over 2 acres is in now three kattha, Chhathiya Pond at Anaith spread over three acres, are some of the ponds which are either vanished or limited to a few area. Only a pond at Chandawa is still intact.

Some social workers and educationist and even doctors said that encroachment of ponds has become regular process in Bhojpur district due to negligence of the administration and people encroach upon ponds with impunity and so district administration should take strict stance so that these ponds can be saved and future crisis without can be prevented. They stressed need to launch an awareness campaign among the people regarding the conservation of ponds in the district and to tell people about the benefits of these natural resources and so it is needed to provide information about the limited amount of water on earth so that people should not play with the natural resources of water storage and should protect them for their own survival. They said that the urban areas have a lot of resources to harvest rain water but there is a need to run a large scale campaign to bring them to the ground. They added that about a decade ago, water was not a problem here but now the water level in the summer season every year goes down by fiver meters at least.

They stated that ponds have an important contribution in environmental protection and hence people will also have to come forward to save the ponds and free them from encroachment. Negligence towards a bigger objective for the sake of one’s momentary selfishness will also affect the people. Not only this, additional danger to life will also arise. In such a situation, people themselves will also have to follow this.