Chandigarh, March 12
Haryana Development and Panchayat Minister, Sh. Krishan Lal Panwar, said that the state government is continuously working on the restoration of ponds. To ensure systematic development, a Pond Authority has been formed. Expressing gratitude to the former Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal for forming this authority, he said that the double-engine government of the Center and the state are working together to improve the conditions of the ponds.
Development and Panchayat Minister, Sh. Krishan Lal Panwar was responding to the attention motion tabled in the house by MLA, Sh. Aditya Devi Lal regarding the improvement of ponds, during the ongoing budget session of Haryana Vidhan Sabha today.
Sh. Pawar said that no previous government had paid attention to ponds, but the present government has taken significant steps in this direction. He said that the state has a total of 19,723 ponds, out of which 18,719 are in rural areas and 904 in urban areas.Of these, 11,295 ponds are polluted ponds, including 10,814 rural and 481 urban ponds.
He further said that Haryana Pond Authority is getting restored/rejuvenated these polluted as model ponds under Amrit Sarovar Yojana. Similarly several schemes have been started for the treatment of dirty water coming into these ponds. This restoration work is being carried out with the collaboration of departments such as Panchayati Raj, Public Works, Irrigation and Water Resources, and Urban Local Bodies.
At present, out of 11295 polluted ponds 6507 ponds are taken for restoration into the Annual Action Plan of Financial year 2025-26 and (1069 under Model Ponds and 1159 under MGNREGA) i.e. Total 2228 ponds have already been restored.
He further said that from 2018-19 to 2024-25, Rs.579.42 crore has been released, out of which Rs.533.52 crore has been spent. The Minister also said that untreated drain water in cities will be treated through STPs and will be used for irrigation. A Water Treatment Plant will be set up in Naultha village of Israna Assembly constituency to treat wastewater from Panipat city. This treated water will then be used for land restoration in Jhojhu Kalan and Khurd villages, where barren land will be improved.
