JAWAINIYA VILLAGE SWALLOWED BY THE GANGES-WHO IS RESPONSIBE?

JAWAINIYA VILLAGE SWALLOWED BY THE GANGES-WHO IS RESPONSIBE?

8-MAY-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA--------------------------Jawainiya—a village located in the Shahpur block of Bhojpur district—has now become a relic of history. Once a thriving settlement, this village has today completely vanished into the swift currents of the Ganges. Homes, fields, identities—everything has been erased. Yet, the most critical question remains standing, unchanged: Who is responsible for this devastation?

Will anyone explain what action, if any, was taken against the "sand mafia" who, for years, engaged in illegal sand mining from the Ganges, thereby severely disrupting the natural ecological balance?

Hundreds of thousands of truckloads of sand were extracted; the river's course was altered, and its banks were weakened—but was a finger ever pointed at any of the "big names" behind this? Or did the entire affair simply fall victim to collusion and complicity?

A few years ago, the government sanctioned crores of rupees for the construction of *Thokars* (embankments/spurs) with the specific aim of preventing erosion by the Ganges.

Where did that money go? Was there ever a transparent inquiry into the utilization of those funds? If an inquiry *was* conducted, what were its findings? Who was shielded from scrutiny, and why?

The reality today is that the combined forces of the mafia's greed on one side, and the system's silence on the other, have succeeded in wiping an entire village off the map. Yet, neither has accountability been established, nor has any concrete action been witnessed.

The most pressing question now is this: What does the future hold for the displaced residents of Jawainiya village? Is there any concrete plan in place for their rehabilitation? Will the culprits face justice, or will this case, too, simply end up buried within bureaucratic files?

This is not merely the story of a single village; it stands as a stark, living testament to systemic failure and a profound lack of accountability.

If action is not taken against those responsible even now, then tomorrow—inevitably—