Govt to rejuvenate village ponds by adopting ‘Seechewal-Thapar’ model

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 15

Health Minister Balbir Singh today said the state government will utilise the model prepared by Balbir Singh Seechewal and Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology to clean all village ponds.

He said the initiative would help provide clean water for irrigation purposes and also help preserve groundwater.

Speaking at Lang village, where a similar project has been established at a cost of Rs 32 crore, the minister said the village’s sewerage water will be cleaned and utilised for irrigation purposes in the adjoining farmlands.

Inaugurating the project, he added that the purified water will also be utilised at a nursery at the site.

He said: “The government will beautify 5-acre government land adjoining the pond, which will be later converted to a park. We have already issued orders for the this work to the department concerned.”

The minister said all 60 village ponds in the Patiala rural segment would be cleaned in the same manner in the coming days. “The usage of this water will benefit the farmers who will then not have to use of fertilizers. Also, the water will be provided to them free of cost”, he said.

The minister also inaugurated a submersible pump installed at Government Senior Secondary School at Nandpur Kesho village.

He said the state government was committed to making all efforts to provide a clean environment to students.