High Court Pressure Triggers Massive Survey of Ramgarh Dam Catchment Area

Jaipur. The historic Ramgarh Dam, once a vital lifeline for the capital city, is currently the focus of a major administrative crackdown. Following stern instructions from the High Court, district authorities have initiated a comprehensive survey of the dam's catchment area to address years of systematic encroachment. The ongoing operation covers 57 villages, primarily within the Jamwaramgarh and Andhi tehsils, where officials are meticulously comparing current ground conditions with official revenue records.

Initial findings from the joint survey conducted by the Revenue and Water Resources departments have revealed alarming levels of illegal activity. The natural flow paths of the Banganga River and its tributaries, including the Madhoveni and Gomti, have been significantly obstructed. In a stretch spanning approximately 20 kilometers, investigators discovered that more than 10 kilometers of the riverbed have been converted into agricultural land, with widespread instances of illegal fencing, tube wells, and permanent construction projects.

The administration is currently documenting various forms of unauthorized development, ranging from farmhouses and luxury resorts to hotels and private enclosures. Revenue officials from the Jamwaramgarh, Viratnagar, Shahpura, and Amer subdivisions have been tasked with verifying the physical state of the land against historical maps. The High Court has explicitly demanded that the final report must identify the owners of these illegal structures, regardless of their social or political influence.

The survey teams are working under a tight deadline, with local sub-divisional magistrates overseeing the collection of site reports from village-level revenue staff. This rigorous verification process aims to clear the natural drainage channels that have been effectively erased from the landscape over time. By identifying these obstructions, the government intends to restore the ecological integrity of the catchment area, which is essential for the long-term water security of the region.

As the investigation progresses, the focus remains on ensuring that the findings are transparent and legally robust. The administration is expected to submit a detailed account of the encroachments, providing a clear picture of how the natural water flow has been compromised. This initiative represents a significant step toward reclaiming the public land necessary to revive the dam's capacity and address the persistent water crisis facing the city.