Noida: Pillars being erected on UP-Haryana border along Yamuna in Jewar

Officials said this will end decades-long dispute arising among farmers who own land on the floodplains.

Erection of pillars along the Yamuna, earmarking the border between Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, has begun.

The activity was started in Jewar last week, under the supervision of a team of Survey of India and district-level officials of both states.

Officials said this will end decades-long dispute arising among farmers who own land on the floodplains.

The activity was started in Jewar last week, under the supervision of a team of Survey of India and district-level officials of both states.

Over the years, bloody clashes have been witnessed between farmers of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh who live in villages on either side of the Yamuna river, as changes in the direction of the river flow moved their plots closer to the other state.

“The dispute between Uttar Pradesh and Haryana farmers has been going on since 1956. Crops sown by Jewar farmers could not be reaped later as the plot of land went to the other side due to a change in the course of the river. Haryana farmers used to harvest these crops and take it, leading to bloody clashes between UP and Haryana farmers. Similar complaints were received from Haryana farmers. Now, the erection of pillars at the border will end the disputes between farmers of the two states,” Virendra Dhada, former chairman, district panchayat, Gautam Budh Nagar, said.

In the past, subdivisional magistrates used to express their inability to help Jewar farmers. There have also been reports of illegal mining on the plots of Jewar farmers on the Haryana side.

Under the Haryana and Uttar Pradesh (Alternation of Boundaries) Act, 1979, (Dixit Award), officials of Gautam Budh Nagar district were asked to conduct a survey in association with Haryana officials to sort out the matter.

Officials said that Jhuppa village in Jewar, which is closest to the border, was worst affected due to change in river flow. Land mafias had destroyed the land map and records of the village, officials said.

Rajpal Singh, subdivisional magistrate, Jewar, said on Tuesday, “After mapping of the area by the Survey of India team and also surveys by Uttar Pradesh and Haryana officials, disputes have been resolved. Now, pillars are being erected at the border areas — in Jewar of Gautam Budh Nagar and other areas along the Yamuna river. In total, 196 pillars have to be erected. The public works department, along with revenue officials, Survey of India team and Haryana officials, are erecting the pillars.”

Vimal Kumar, executive engineer, PWD, said,“ So far, 38 pillars have been erected. Survey of India team points out the spots to erect the pillars.”