Chandigarh, May 19: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday directed officials to accord top priority to the management and upkeep of ponds across villages in the state.
He emphasised that while beautification of ponds is important, strict measures must also be taken to ensure that contaminated water does not flow into them.
While chairing a meeting of the Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority, he directed officials to undertake regular cleaning of ponds developed under the Amrit Sarovar Yojana, and asserted that all works should be carried out with complete transparency while maintaining high construction standards.
Referring to ponds and ‘johads’ (community-owned, traditional rainwater harvesting structures) situated within densely populated village areas, he said sanitation and cleanliness around such water bodies must receive special attention.
According to an official statement, Saini directed the officials to strengthen pond embankments, undertake desilting operations, and remove wild grass growing along the edges.
He also directed that proper pathways for morning and evening walkers, seating benches and solar lighting facilities be developed around ponds for public convenience.
Saini further directed that Gram Panchayats should be made responsible for the regular maintenance of ponds.
He directed officers to conduct periodic inspections and ensure immediate rectification of any shortcomings noticed during inspections.
The chief minister said untreated wastewater from villages should not be discharged directly into ponds.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisions providing better civic amenities in villages and transforming ponds into clean and aesthetically developed public spaces where people can spend quality time and engage in recreational activities,” he said.
The chief minister further directed officers to promote fish farming in large ponds. He said ponds should be auctioned through an online auction portal, and the revenue generated from such auctions should be utilised for maintenance and upkeep of the ponds.
Keeping the forthcoming monsoon season in view, he also directed the officers to ensure the timely cleaning of all drains across the state. During the meeting, it was informed by the officials that Haryana has a total of 20,039 ponds, including 19,129 in rural areas and 910 in urban areas.
So far, cleaning work of 6,777 ponds has been completed, while work on the remaining ponds will be completed shortly, officials said. Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Arun Kumar Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, Irrigation & Water Resources Department, and Anurag Agarwal, were among the senior officers present in the meeting.
