Chandigarh, Apr 21 (PTI) The Punjab government has started an ambitious project to clean around 15,000 village ponds in the state, Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said on Monday.

For the first time in the state, the government has launched a mass scale ponds rejuvenation exercise, he said.

Around 1,100 village ponds have already been dewatered and nearly 400 village ponds desilted, he said. “Depending on requirement, both desilting and re-silting operations are being carried out.” Many of these ponds had not been cleaned for decades, leading to overflow, foul odours and mosquito breeding in villages, the minister said.

Now, with this initiative, the Punjab government is actively working to reverse these conditions and create a cleaner, healthier environment, a concrete step toward realising the vision of a ‘Rangla Punjab’ (vibrant Punjab), he said.

Sond said the Punjab government has approved a budget of Rs 4,573 crore for the holistic development of villages.

He further said the government is focusing on upgrading rural infrastructure, including the maintenance and upkeep of village ponds and the development of playgrounds.

Sewage treatment facilities are being ensured in villages to ensure sustainable wastewater management, he said.

Proper care and rejuvenation of the ponds are important for villages’ economy and livelihoods, he noted.

The minister said ahead of the monsoon season, the state government will ensure desilting from ponds wherever needed.

This effort will also help recharge groundwater levels and contribute to addressing the issue of depleting underground water in the state.

Lashing out at the previous governments, Sond said they failed to address the needs of rural Punjab, with many ponds left unattended for 15 to 25 years. PTI CHS NB NB