Faridkot admn for storing rainwater in village ponds

FARIDKOT: Four days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written a letter to village heads requesting them to conserve rainwater in ponds during the monsoon, the district administration has started sensitising village panchayats to the issue in rural areas by cleaning ponds.

The district administration has initiated a move to desilt ponds so that these can store rainwater. Tribune photo

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, June 19

Four days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written a letter to village heads requesting them to conserve rainwater in ponds during the monsoon, the district administration has started sensitising village panchayats to the issue in rural areas by cleaning ponds.

In 213 villages of Faridkot district, there are a total of 272 ponds. As most of these ponds were being used to dump dirty water and in some villages, these ponds have been filled up with mud. Therefore, the district administration has initiated a move to desilt these ponds so that these can store rainwater.

“We have identified 231 ponds in 163 villages where dewatering is required for their cleaning. While dewatering of ponds in 32 villages has already been completed, desilting of ponds in 14 villages has started. In four villages, desilting of ponds has already been completed,” said Kumar Saurav Raj, Faridkot Deputy Commissioner.

In the rainy season, village ponds commonly known as ‘chhaper’ or ‘toba’ are the most talked topic in rural areas to reduce the risk of floods. But ponds have been encroached upon or filled up. So, the district administration has started working on a move to save and revive these ponds.

“The silt dug up from ponds during the dry season is highly usable as fertiliser for farm fields. The silt reduce is used as fertilizers, which increased the crop yield,” said Umendra Dutt, Executive Director, Kheti Virasat Mission, a voluntary organisation of natural farming.

With accumulation of silt, mud and highly toxic water, most of the ponds in rural areas have no capacity to hold water for short periods, allowing for better control of the storm water.

“Earlier, these ponds were recharging the groundwater. Now, waste dumped in these ponds is further polluting the groundwater in surrounding areas,” said Dutt, adding that desilting and dewatering these ponds for storing rainwater will help in averting a flood-like situation during the rainy season and it will provide good sources of water for the irrigation purpose.