In bad shape, 171 ponds to be revived in Karnal district

Parveen Arora

Karnal, March 5

The Rural Development Department has identified as many as 171 ponds, which are either polluted, overflowing, filled with dirt, under encroachment or have become dumping grounds for garbage, across the district.

These ponds will be rejuvenated by the Panchayati Raj Department under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The step is being initiated for water conservation by the district authorities. The work has started on 10 ponds, said Gaurav Kumar, CEO, zila parishad.

Among these, 20 ponds each have been identified at Nissing, Karnal, Kunjpura, Munak, Assandh, Indri, Gharaunda blocks, and 31 in Nilokheri block, the CEO added.

“Our purpose is to conserve water by reviving the existing ponds, so this step is being taken,” said the CEO.

It was decided at a meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner Anish Yadav, who directed the SDMs and BDPOs to monitor work and ensure proper cleaning of the ponds, Kumar added.

“As per the directions of the DC, we have provided the lists of these identified ponds to all SDMs and BDPOs. Only the works that are allowed under the MGNREGA will be undertaken on these ponds,” he said.

As per the information, several ponds have dried up and people have encroached upon the land. The Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority was established in 2018 to monitor and promote the development, protection, rejuvenation, conservation, management of

the ponds and utilisation of pond water after treatment. There are several ponds that have become dumping grounds for garbage.

Ponds in Kherinaru, Brass, Pingli, Jundla, Amupur, Manglora, Kalampura, Ranwar, Bajida Jattan, Nagla Megha, Shekhpura, Darar, Salaru, Jani, Bansa, Padha, Goli, Bilona, Thari, Uplani, Uplana, Newal, Salarpur, Kunjpiura, Shergarh, Gorgarh, Garhi Gujran, Koer, Kalsi, Dadupur, Padwala, Sagga, Shamgarh, Sanwat, Amritpur Kalan, Kuatil, Bastara, Pundri and other villagers are among the identified ponds.

Yadav said the rejuvenation of dirty ponds would be done to conserve water so that these could be used for irrigation and other purposes.