Rohtak: Amrit mission to clean ponds bogged by encroachments, filth

Tribune News Service

Sunit Dhawan

Rohtak, May 1

Big chunks of a majority of the ponds in villages of Rohtak district have been encroached upon by influential persons. The remaining portion of the village ponds is full of filth.

Even the ‘Amrit Sarovar Mission’ launched with much fanfare has failed to serve its purpose of developing and rejuvenating the ponds.

As per the official data, as many as 24 ponds at various villages in the district have been rejuvenated by increasing their water capacity, recharging groundwater, cleaning water and maintaining healthy environment under the mission.

However, village residents lament that the mission has failed to serve the desired purpose as encroachments have not been removed from the ponds. Besides, wastewater continues to be discharged into the ponds.

Residents of different villages in the district have flagged their concerns in this regard, but to no avail.

“Major chunks of the ponds in our village as well as other villages have been encroached upon by influential persons in the past three to four decades. The encroachers have filled the ponds with loose earth and constructed houses and shops with impunity,” said Arjun Nain, a resident of Ajaib village in Rohtak.

He said wastewater from the village flows into the ponds, defeating the purpose of the rejuvenation carried out under the ‘Amrit Sarovar Mission’.

Meham-based social activist Rakesh Bhardwaj had even approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding encroachments and discharge of wastewater into his village pond. The issue is being heard by the Tribunal.

The NGT had issued notices to the Haryana Chief Secretary, Rohtak District Magistrate, Haryana State Pollution Control Board member-secretary and local municipal authorities over the alleged dumping of garbage, disposal of wastewater and filling of loose soil in the Darbari Mal pond at Meham.

In a reply submitted to the NGT, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board had said it was found that wastewater was being disposed of into the pond at Meham.

In his reply to the NGT, the Rohtak Deputy Commissioner had maintained that the status of the land in question was doubtful.

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