Directions issued to complete renovation and beautification of 320 ponds soon and commence work on 467 new ponds
Yogshalas and open gyms to be developed around ponds in villages: CM
Chandigarh, August 25: Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini directed that special attention be paid to making ponds in rural areas clean and beautiful, as well as ensuring their proper maintenance. He directed that dirty water should not be allowed to enter any pond directly and that arrangements should be made to ensure that water reaches the ponds only after scientific treatment. The Chief Minister was chairing a meeting of the Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority at the Haryana Civil Secretariat on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that along with beautification of ponds, better facilities should also be developed around them for rural residents. He directed that in villages where new yogashalas are proposed, yogshalas with sheds and other necessary facilities should be constructed around ponds and open gyms should also be provided. This would encourage villagers to visit these places regularly and take greater interest in the upkeep of the ponds.
During the meeting, officials informed that there are a total of 20,100 ponds in the state, including 19,219 in rural areas and 881 in urban areas. Special focus is being given to ponds that are polluted and overflowing. A strategy is also being formulated for the treatment of grey water and black water generated in villages. For this purpose, wastewater management systems or sewage treatment plants (STPs) can be established outside the ponds, using village or panchayat land. The Chief Minister directed that work should also be undertaken to establish micro-STPs in rural areas and that necessary pre-treatment of water must be ensured before it reaches the ponds.
The meeting also discussed technologies such as mechanical aeration and nanobubble technology. The Chief Minister directed that these technologies be used as pilot projects and, if found effective, be implemented in other ponds as well.
Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini directed that the ongoing renovation and beautification work of 320 ponds be completed expeditiously. He also directed that 467 new ponds be identified and work commenced on them. He further ordered that a special campaign be undertaken for the maintenance of completed ponds. The Chief Minister directed that high-level water filtration arrangements be made around the solar pumps installed at the ponds and that special attention be paid to the maintenance of the solar pumps.
Officials also apprised the Chief Minister of the status of 350 Amrit Sarovars. The Chief Minister directed that priority be given to the better utilisation and maintenance of completed ponds. He also directed that future allotment/auction of village ponds for fisheries be carried out as per the prescribed procedure and that attention be paid to their better utilisation in the public interest.
Special mechanism to be developed
Officials informed that a special mechanism for ponds would also be developed on the lines of the ‘Mhari Sadak’ app. Through this mechanism, members of the public would be able to register complaints regarding the poor condition or improvement of a pond, along with location tagging. The complaints would be forwarded to the concerned sarpanch and officials so that immediate necessary action could be taken.
ADCs to review maintenance; reports to be prepared
A provision has been made to make available 5 per cent of the Development and Panchayats Department’s budget for pond maintenance. Specific directions were also issued to involve VBG-RAM G in these works. Officials of the Development and Panchayats Department informed the Chief Minister that a committee has been constituted in every village for the maintenance of ponds, with the sarpanch as its chairperson and the village secretary and other concerned representatives as members.
The Chief Minister directed that the functioning of these committees be reviewed regularly. Review meetings should be held at the ADC level in every district and reports obtained on the work undertaken so far by the respective committees for pond maintenance. The concerned committees should also ensure the maintenance of solar pumps installed at the ponds.
Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority to monitor every aspect
The Chief Minister stressed the need for reviewing and standardising the designs and drawings of ponds to ensure uniformity and quality in works undertaken at different locations. He said that the responsibility of the officer concerned for the renovation, beautification and maintenance of a pond would be clearly defined and accountability fixed. Action would be taken in case of negligence. He directed the Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority to conduct periodic inspections and recommend action wherever any compromise in quality is found.
The meeting also discussed necessary measures for developing ponds currently located within village residential areas outside the residential areas from the perspective of public use.
Work underway to make ponds an integral part of village beautification
Executive Vice Chairman of the Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority, Sh. Vimal Goswami, said that the government’s objective is to make ponds clean and beautiful and integrate them with the overall beautification of villages. Accordingly, work is being undertaken to clean ponds, improve water quality and ensure better maintenance.
He said that the new technologies as directed by Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini would first be used as pilot projects and, if they yield encouraging results, would subsequently be adopted for other ponds as well. Village committees are also being involved in the upkeep of ponds. The endeavour is to transform ponds with clean water and well-maintained surroundings into attractive public spaces for villagers.
Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Sh. Arun Gupta; Additional Chief Secretary, Development and Panchayats Department, Sh. Vijayendra Kumar; Deputy Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Dr. Yashpal; and Director, Development and Panchayats Department, Sh. Aneesh Yadav, were also present.
