Gambhiri River | 26 Mar 2025

Why in News? 

The Rajasthan High Court has taken cognizance of the alleged encroachment in the floodplain of the Gambhiri river that supplies water to the Ghana Bird Sanctuary and sought a response from the state administration. 

Key Points 

  • About the issue: 
    • The court has issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Divisional Commissioner (Bharatpur), Principal Revenue Secretary, District Collector (Karauli) and SP (Karauli) in this matter and directed them to file a reply within eight weeks. 
    • This order was given while conducting a preliminary hearing on  the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the petitioner.  
      • The counsel for the petitioner informed the court that the water from Pachna dam reaches  to the Ghana Bird Sanctuary through Gambhiri river , which was being obstructed due to encroachment. 
      • Apart from this, about 230 bigha land of Sanent village of Karauli district , which is a part of the river flow area, has been encroached upon for years. This is affecting the biological balance of the bird sanctuary . 

 Gambhiri River 

  • Gambhiri River, also known as Utangan River, is an important seasonal river of Rajasthan ,which flows mainly during the rainy season. 
  • This river flows in  the north-eastern part of Rajasthan . 
  • This river originates from the Aravalli Hills near Hindaun in Karauli district and flows  from south to north. 
  • It forms the border between Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and merges with the Yamuna River in Agra. Its total length is approximately 288 kilometers. 
  • Its main tributaries are Sesa , Kher and Parvati.

 Keoladeo National Park 

  • Introduction:  
    • Keoladeo National Park or Keoladeo Ghana National Park is a wetland and bird sanctuary located in Bharatpur, Rajasthan . It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of  the most important bird sanctuaries in the world. 
    • It is famous for its rich bird diversity and abundance of water birds . The park is home to over 365 species of birds , including many rare and endangered species , such as the Siberian crane .   
    • Various species from far flung areas of the Northern Hemisphere come to the sanctuary for breeding. The Siberian Crane is one of the rare species that can be seen here.  
  • Animal
    • Animals like jackals, sambar, nilgai, wild cats, hyenas, wild boars, porcupines and mongooses can be seen in the area.  
  • Vegetation   
    • The predominant vegetation type is tropical dry deciduous forest mixed with dry grassland areas dominated by Acacia nilotica.  
  • Rivers :   
    • The River Gambhir and Banganga rivers flow through this national park.