Ashok Verma
Bathinda, July 13, 2020: The state government is under- taking special measures to clean the ponds in the villages. Under this scheme Bathinda district is one of the leading districts in the State Punjab. Giving details the Deputy Commissioner Mr. B. Srinivasan,IAS, said that the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats has carried out the work of cleanliness of ponds from the month of May-June of the year 2020-21 through NREGA labourers on priority basis. There are 724 ponds in the 314 Gram Panchayats of the district. Out of which 162 ponds are of clean water. A program was chalked out to clean the remaining 562 ponds pertaining to dirty water out of which dewatering has been done in 521 ponds. Apart from this sludge removal work was planned in 180 ponds out of which sludge removal work has been started in 142 ponds and this work stands completed in 42 ponds.
Disclosing this here today District Development and Panchayat Officer Mr. Harjinder Singh Jassal said that sludge removal work of 97 ponds in the district is being done under MGNREGA scheme and cleaning of remaining 45 ponds has been undertaken with 14th Finance Commission and Panchayat Funds. Approx Rs. 228.96 lakh has been spent on cleaning of ponds under MGNREGA scheme. This has provided employment to about 87058 NREGA labourer under MGNREGA scheme. The work is ensuring cleanliness of ponds as well as providing employment to the NREGA Labourer.