Civic Chief orders immediate removal of Kham River encroachments

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Reviewing the large-scale encroachments that have taken place in the Kham Riverbed, the municipal commissioner G Sreekanth on Monday directed the anti-encroachment and solid waste management sections to clear these encroachments immediately and widen the river channel.

Efforts to restore the Kham River to its former glory have been underway for the past few years through the municipal corporation and private organisations. To review the progress, the civic chief Sreekanth conducted an on-foot inspection of the riverbed. Officials present during the visit included anti-encroachment section’s coordinating officer Santosh Wahule, deputy commissioner (solidwaste) Nandkishor Bhombe, OSD of the Kham River Rejuvenation Project Asadullah Khan, and representatives of ‘EcoSattva’.

He stressed the need for scientific demarcation of the riverbed (blue line and red line marking). He directed that desilting, widening, and pitching work be completed on a war footing along a stretch of approximately 6.5 kilometres from Barapulla Gate to Harsul Lake. Two teams have been assigned, one from Garam Pani to Barapulla Gate and another from Himayat Baugh to Barapulla Gate, to expedite the work.

During the inspection, the Commissioner expressed strong displeasure over the poor condition of the historic Barapulla Gate. He noted that the structure, once known for its twelve arches, has effectively been reduced to ten due to encroachments. Illegal constructions along the historic fortification wall (fasil) and within the riverbed have narrowed the river’s course, leading to water entering homes during the monsoon, he said. He ordered the immediate removal of all unauthorised structures.

Public toilet used as storage room

It was also observed that a public toilet near Barapulla Gate was being misused as a storage room. The municipal commissioner expressed strong displeasure and ordered that it be cleared immediately and made operational for public use.

He instructed that the river-widening work be completed before the monsoon, emphasising that the Kham River should be revived as a proud heritage asset rather than remain a problem for the city.