Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal on Tuesday directed the State Irrigation Department to submit a list of areas having higher demand for water in the State. The Chief Minister while presiding over a meeting of Irrigation Department here approved Rs40 crore for strengthening of irrigation system to augment the water supply in water deficit areas of southern Haryana, particularly Mahendergarh,
He also announced to revive about 10,000 abandoned village ponds and to carry out a detailed survey for the construction of check dams at the Shivalik foothills in the state. During the meeting, Maohar lal directed the Irrigation Department to carry out a detailed survey on priority basis to identify places for the construction of check dams at the Shivalik foothills so as to utilize the stored water for irrigation purposes.
He also ordered to constitute a committee to identify the water bodies in the State for their de-silting in a time bound and phased manner. In the meeting, he also expressed concern over the theft of canal water and directed to take steps to check the same. The Chief Minister said that old abandoned village ponds would be revived and utilized as water bodies for storing surplus water for recharging and developing minor irrigation schemes for irrigation of adjoining areas with micro irrigation techniques. At present, there are about 20,000 village ponds in the state of which nearly 10,000 were lying abandoned.