Rats Damage Revenue Department Records in Prayagraj, Exposing Poor Archival Conditions

Prayagraj: A surprising revelation has emerged during the ongoing effort to organise decades-old records housed in the Revenue Record Room located in the old Collectorate building.

While officials were sorting and cataloguing land and property documents, they discovered that several important files had been badly damaged by rats, exposing serious concerns about the preservation of government records.

According to officials, historical documents dating back to the British era are still stored in the record room. The archive contains land-related records from 1873 onwards.

Since space in the old record rooms became insufficient, a new record facility was established in 2017.

However, many valuable and older files continue to remain in the ageing Collectorate building, which is gradually deteriorating and has several unused sections, creating ideal conditions for rodents to thrive.

The poor condition of some files has made record management increasingly difficult. Officials said that many documents have become so fragile that they crumble into pieces as soon as they are handled.

Due to their deteriorated state, digitisation of several records is currently not possible.

The archives contain records from 33 revenue villages located in the Karchana tehsil area.

Besides land ownership documents, the collection also includes files related to court directives, administrative correspondence, and historical government proceedings.

Officials noted that records concerning land disputes, settlements, and various revenue matters are preserved in these archives.

Employees working in the record room said they frequently come across files that have been partially destroyed by rats.

In many cases, important documents are found with corners chewed off or pages damaged, making it difficult to retrieve complete information.

Staff members handling the records often discover torn and scattered papers while examining old files.

The issue came to light during a recent inspection and record-management exercise. Officials found that rodents had caused significant damage to several archives.

Following the discovery, District Collector Gaurav Kumar instructed the Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) to formulate a comprehensive plan to safeguard the records.

He also directed officials to ensure that all documents capable of being digitised are converted into digital format at the earliest.

Vijay Kumar, the Record Officer, said efforts are underway to protect the old files and preserve them for future use.

He emphasised that digitisation remains the most effective long-term solution for safeguarding historical documents from further deterioration.

The incident has highlighted the urgent need for better archival infrastructure and preservation measures, especially for records that hold historical, administrative, and legal significance.

Authorities are now focusing on protecting these invaluable documents before further damage occurs.