As rescue operations were hampered by relentless rain since Thursday morning, eight villagers, including five children, remained missing after a boat capsized in the turbulent Kaudiyala river near Bharatpur village on the Indo-Nepal border in the forest area of Bahraich district on Wednesday evening.
The tragedy struck when 22 residents of Bharatpur were returning from Khairatia Bazaar in the neighbouring Lakhimpur Kheri district. Their boat hit a fallen tree midstream and overturned. A 60-year-old woman Ramjai drowned and eight others were swept away. Thirteen villagers were rescued.
Since then, teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and the District Disaster Relief Team, along with local divers, have been engaged in rescue work.
“Rescue operations are continuing on a war footing. But the strong current and incessant rainfall are slowing down efforts,” said Sujauli station house officer Chandra Prakash Sharma. He said no one among the eight missing individuals could be traced so far.
CM TAKES COGNIZANCE
{{/usCountry}}CM TAKES COGNIZANCE
{{/usCountry}}Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has taken serious note of the tragedy, instructing officials to expedite rescue and relief efforts. Acting on his directive, divisional commissioner Shashi Bhushan Lal Sushil, inspector general Amit Pathak, district magistrate Akshay Tripathi, superintendent of police Ram Nayan Singh, and senior forest department officers have been camping at the site since Wednesday night, supervising operations and consoling the grief-stricken families.
INACCESSIBLE VILLAGE
Located deep within the core zone of the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS), Bharthapur is one of the most inaccessible villages in Bahraich district. To reach it, one must cross the Geruwa river by boat and walk several kilometers through dense forests infested with tigers, leopards, elephants and rhinos. Amid neglect, the village is home to 118 families and has existed here for nearly three-and-a-half centuries.
Despite being recognized as a revenue village since 1834, Bharthapur still lacks basic amenities like electricity, healthcare, education, and paved roads. Monsoon floods from the Geruwa and Kaudiyala rivers submerge nearly half the village land every year, wiping out crops and pushing residents deeper into poverty.
“Our ancestors came here 350 years ago, but we are now forced to leave. There’s no road, no hospital, not even proper schooling for our children,” said Munna Lal Maurya (44), a local farmer.
HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT
Every year, one or two villagers fall victim to wild animal attacks. In February 2023, a villager named Chhote Lal was trampled to death by a tusker. Earlier, Lekhram Maurya met a similar fate. Ram Nath Kashyap survived an elephant attack but still bears the scars.
“Sometimes, we hear tigers roaring at night, or elephants passing through our fields,” said Laxmi Narayan, another resident. “Half our land gets flooded, and the rest we lose to wildlife. How do we live like this?”
₹21.56 CRORE SANCTIONED FOR RELOCATION PLAN
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has initiated a Voluntary Village Relocation Program (VVRP) in the area. The scheme is aimed at moving families out of tiger reserves.
After multiple surveys and negotiations, 118 families from Bharthapur have been deemed eligible for relocation. The ministry of environment, forest and climate change has now sanctioned ₹21.56 crore under the CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) scheme for the relocation of Bharthapur village.
On July 22, the National CAMPA Authority transferred the funds to Uttar Pradesh’s State CAMPA. The funds will be used to build new homes, allocate land, and provide basic amenities such as electricity, healthcare, schools, and roads at the new resettlement site.