Karnal:27.02.21- The Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority, headed by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal is committed to the objectives of conservation, rejuvenation and development of all the ponds in the state. A detailed survey has been conducted all over the state and database of all water bodies that fall under the definition of pond it has already been prepared. Work on 18 such Ponds including those in Sagga, Behlolpur, Padha and Gondar villages of Karnal is being undertaken at a fast pace by the authority. These details were shared with the participants of a program organised by Radio Gramoday in which Haryana Pond Authority Executive Vice Chairman Prabhakar Kumar Verma and Haryana Granth Academy Deputy Chairman Dr. Virender Singh Chauhan discussed the functions and future plans of the Pond Authority.
Dr.Chauhan said all water bodies having an area more than half an acre that existed on public land come under the purview and control of the Authority constituted duly under an Act passed by Haryana Vidhan Sabha. The authority has created a detailed database of existing ponds and categorised the same based on their current status. The data of these 16665 ponds has been made available in the form of a Ponds Atlas on the website of the Ponds Authority, he said.

Prabhakar Verma disclosed that 200 ponds have been identified for development and rejuvenation during the ensuing financial year. More than 682 ponds will be remodeled and developed in 2022-23, he added. Responding to a question raised by villagers from Gondar, Prabhakar Kumar Verma said there were clear cut instructions and guidelines regarding removal of all encroachments on the lands of ponds known as 'Johars' in local dialect. Due process of law will be adopted to get the encroached land restored but process of development of these bonds cannot be kept in abeyance till completion of this process.

Dr. Shyam Sundar, resident from Chochra village of Assandh constituency informed in the program that almost all the 'Johars' is in his village were already overflowing and any immediate intervention on the part of the authority was required in this matter. Both Prabhakar Verma and Dr Virender Singh Chauhan promised to intervene and assured that the problem was resolved at the earliest to the satisfaction of residents of the villagers.