Hundreds of villagers in Pilibhit’s trans-Sharda area spent the night filling sandbags and placing them along a vulnerable stretch of an embankment to prevent the swollen Sharda river from breaching it and threatening two villages, officials and residents said on Wednesday.
Strong currents of the river have triggered rapid erosion near Ranapratap Nagar village in Puranpur tehsil, putting the protective embankment, locally known as ‘Daula’, at risk.
The embankment was built years ago on the northern side of the river between Ranapratap Nagar and Nahrosa to protect the two villages from floods. Its weakening could expose both settlements directly to flooding and further erosion.
Hundreds of residents, including children and elderly people, remained awake throughout Tuesday night and took up the task themselves instead of waiting for administrative assistance. They filled sandbags and placed them along the vulnerable portions of the embankment to check the erosion. Their sustained efforts helped slow the pace of erosion to some extent, but the threat remains, residents said.
Ranapratap Nagar resident Rohan Lal and other villagers said the strong river current was continuously eroding the embankment and increasing their anxiety with every passing hour.
The residents said a breach could push both floodwaters and further erosion towards Ranapratap Nagar and Nahrosa, posing a threat to homes and livelihoods.
“This is not merely about saving an embankment; it is a crisis linked to the survival of both villages,” a resident said, adding that a breach could result in extensive damage.
Pilibhit District Magistrate Gyanendra Singh said the administration was standing with the villagers and taking the situation seriously.
“A special team has been deployed immediately for relief and rescue work. The administration is continuously monitoring the situation and every possible measure is being taken to check the erosion,” he said.
The administration is keeping a close watch on the embankment as efforts continue to prevent further damage, officials said.
