Punjab Government Launches Rs 4,573 Crore Project to Clean 15,000 Village Ponds
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab has rolled out a major initiative aimed at cleaning 15,000 ponds (chappars) across 13,500 villages in the state. The project, with an allocated budget of ₹4,573 crore, marks a significant step towards improving rural sanitation and water management.
Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond announced the initiative, noting that a soft launch took place two weeks ago. “We have already dewatered and desilted around 1,100 village ponds as part of the pilot phase,” he said. The full-scale rollout of the project will commence after the wheat harvest, allowing pond water to be safely drained into nearby vacant fields.
The project will incorporate proven models such as the Seechewal Model, the Thapar Model, and the framework approved by the Punjab Pollution Control Board. These models emphasize scientific and sustainable methods for pond restoration.
“Each pond will undergo a systematic process—starting with dewatering, followed by desilting, and then purification,” explained Sond. “Water will be directed into a three-chamber system—first collected, then cleaned, and finally stored—ensuring that only clean water seeps into the ground.” He added that excessively deep ponds will be resilted to restore their natural depth.
Sond emphasized that this is the first time a Punjab government has taken up a statewide initiative to restore and clean village ponds. For years, residents have complained about overflowing and neglected ponds, which have become breeding grounds for disease and pollution.
“No previous government took this issue seriously,” said Sond. “We saw the hardships faced by villagers and decided to act. This project is a commitment to improving living conditions in rural Punjab.”
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