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Kanpur: Dhanteras 2026 turned out to be a special occasion for the residents of Patara village under Ghatampur tehsil as they got back their historic pond, which had allegedly been encroached upon by influential persons through irregular entries in revenue records.
The land measuring 0.5480 hectares had been recorded as bhumidhar (landowner with transferable rights). During a ‘Jan Chaupal’ (public meeting) held in village Patara, the villagers complained that plot number 2009 was formerly a pond, which served as a venue for the village’s social and traditional events. The investigation revealed that the land in question was originally recorded as a pond; however, through fraudulent entries made in subsequent revenue records, it was reclassified as private, transferable land. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kanpur | Silver Rate in Kanpur | Bank Holidays in Kanpur | Public Holidays in Kanpur | Kanpur AQI | Weather in Kanpur | Petrol Price in Kanpur | Diesel Price in Kanpur | CNG Price in Kanpur | LPG Price in Kanpur Stay updated with the latest Kanpur news.
The matter came to light during an inquiry conducted on the directions of district magistrate Mahendra Singh Tanwar. Following the inquiry, the SDM Ghatampur court heard the case and ordered cancellation of private ownership entries recorded in the revenue records. The SDM court directed that these entries be cancelled and the land be restored to its original status as a pond. The order has paved the way for restoration of the historic water body to the villagers. Certain individuals were illegally sub-dividing this land into plots, thereby altering its original character. A complaint was also filed regarding the alteration of the pond’s original state through illegal plotting on this land. Taking the complaint seriously and acting on the district magistrate’s instructions, an examination of old land records, including khasra-khatauni (land parcel and holding records), settlement records, and consolidation records, was conducted. After hearing the arguments of both parties, SDM Abichal Pratap Singh passed the orders to register the plot as a pond in the revenue record as it was originally recorded as a pond. He stated that those who illegally occupy govt or public land, or make irregular entries in revenue records, would not be spared under any circumstances. In such cases, strict legal action would be taken against the guilty, including the filing of an FIR. He stated that an action plan for the beautification and rejuvenation of the pond would be prepared soon. The development of the pond would focus on water conservation, rainwater harvesting, improving groundwater levels, and maintaining environmental balance. Furthermore, the utility of this public space for the social and traditional activities of the villagers would also be restored. Download the TOI App.