Punjab is all set execute rejuvenation and renovation of all village ponds at the cost of Rs5,313.15 crore across the State.
State Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Sikander Singh Maluka on Tuesday said that under this scheme, total 24,405.84 acre area would be covered and Rs21.77 crore per acre area of the village would be brought under this project. “In the absence of any treatment plants, ponds become the prominent disposal points in the State,” he said.
Maluka said that ponds are significant resource of water in village life that has been located at panchayat land. “Repairing and cleaning has been neglected over a long period. Now, the Government has decided to restore these ponds and increase the water holding capacity,” he said.
Maluka said due to this procrastination, water often overflows. “The major reason behind this problem is silt and other inorganic materials which gradually settles down reducing the capacity of ponds,” he added.