MP farmer’s well missing for six months, blames land mix-up

In a bizarre incident from Ghagharla village of Madhya Pradesh, a farmer claimed his well had been "missing" for six months. The situation has left officials and locals baffled, with the farmer repeatedly visiting government offices.

Farmer Devdas Rathore recently approached the district collector’s office, laying out documents on the ground to highlight his plight. “I own six acres of land, but my elder uncle sold my land by claiming it as his own. As a result, my well is no longer on my land, and I am unable to farm,” Rathore told Local18. He added that he had been struggling for months to resolve the issue.

The matter took a surprising turn when Burhanpur District Collector Bhavya Mittal heard about the incident and was reportedly left stunned.

Deputy Collector Ajmer Singh Gond clarified that the well hadn’t physically disappeared. Instead, a clerical error was to blame. “We showed the farmer where the well is. The confusion arose due to a mistake made by a clerk under the influence of alcohol,” Gond explained to Local18.

The incident has sparked discussions about governance and accountability in clerical operations, particularly in rural areas where land disputes and registry errors are common. The farmer is awaiting a formal resolution from the district administration to regain access to his well and continue farming.

This incident highlights the challenges faced by farmers due to administrative lapses, with officials promising swift action to prevent such errors in the future.

Support us to keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.

Keep Reading

Watch: Kashmir experiences first snowfall of season after dry spell

Amarnath Yatra: Tackling rising death toll from extreme weather events

Tourists arrival in Kashmir break records, a need to regulate it?

From tourist paradise to waste wasteland: Sindh River Cry for help

Follow Ground Report on X, Instagram and Facebook for environmental and underreported stories from the margins. Give us feedback on our email id [email protected]. 

Don't forget to Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Join our community on WhatsApp, and Follow our YouTube Channel for video stories.