Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said that the state has over 16,000 ponds and in the first phase 1,800 of them would be rejuvenated within a year.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting here.

Khattar directed that in the first phase, about 200 ponds in those villages which are included in the Mahagram Yojana and ponds of having religious and historical significance be taken up on priority basis.   He said primarily the state government aims to ensure drinking water supply to households through taps and also to purify the water used in the household kitchens.

He said that primarily, the State Government aims to ensure drinking water supply in the households through taps  and also to purify the water used in the household kitchens by pouring into the ponds so that the same could be utilized by cattle for drinking purpose. He said that thereafter, the remaining water would be utilized for irrigating crops through micro irrigation. He directed the officers to identify agriculture fields for discharging water of big ponds.

It was informed at the meeting that as per the survey conducted by the district pond management, 600 ponds have been identified in urban areas and 15,946 in rural areas for rejuvenation.

An action plan has been prepared for rejuvenating all the ponds in 10 years.  The Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority, urban local bodies, the irrigation department and panchayats would work jointly for the improvement of the ponds.

 Among those present in the meeting included Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister V. Umashankar, Additional Chief Secretary Irrigation and Water Resources Department Devender Singh, Principal Secretary Development and Panchayats Department Sudhir Rajpal, Deputy Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Ashima Brar and other senior officers of the State Government.