An IAS Officer rejuvenates an almost dead river
Sot river in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, was vital for farmers even fifty years ago., The local farmers relied on it for irrigating their crops. However, due to neglect and rampant encroachment, the river gradually disappeared. By 2022, when IAS Officer Manish Bansal became the District Magistrate, he found that the river was almost non-existent, with only small puddles and farmers growing crops on the river's dried-up bed. The situation started causing waterlogging during the monsoon, as the river could no longer clear excess water.The groundwater level in Sambhal had dropped significantly, making borewells and hand pumps ineffective. Realizing the severity of the situation, the District Magistrate decided to rejuvenate Sot river. The first step was a survey which revealed that the river was actually a 110 km. long stretch. The administration then marked the river's boundaries and cleared the illegal encroachments. The Government staff also de-silted the river, removing accumulated sediment to restore its capacity.
With the help of MGNREGA workers, the project was completed within six months in June 2023. During the monsoon, the river captured rainwater and returned to its former state, resolving waterlogging issues in the region. The IAS Offricer, Manish Bansal, explained that every river has a catchment area, and by restoring Sot's flow, water from nearby areas could now drain properly into the river.
This is an example how a dynamic Government Officer can utilize his power positively for development of people and restoration of local ecology.
