Project to preserve bawdis in Dharamsala

Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, July 29

The Rural Development Department is working on a project to preserve and geo-tag the traditional water sources, known as ‘bawdis’ or stepwells, in Dharamsala.

Sources here said the project was planned under the USAID programme “Paani Aur Swachhta Mei Sanjhedaari”. The department is preparing a digital map of the traditional water sources in Dharamsala.

The map was being prepared for all 24 panchayats of Dharamsala. It would lead to a complete information of the geographical location of more than 100 ‘bawdis’.

Under this initiative, the complete information and photographs of stepwells would be collected.

Kangra DC Rakesh Prajapati said the main objective of the project was restoring old stepwells as part of heritage as well as renovating these by preparing an online layout to improve the condition of all stepwells.

He also said a special training was organised for a team of Gram Rozgar Sevaks in Gram Panchayat Bagli on July 27 to carry out the task. The location of the stepwells was uploaded on Google Map and other information regarding the survey was also shared.

The development block, Dharamsala, had also taken up the task of cleaning these IbawdisI during monsoon so that people were provided with clean water. Water quality of all stepwells would be checked.