FUNDS CRUNCH: BALANGIR CIVIC BODY POND NOT RENOVATED
The Karangakata pond located in the heart of town and spread over more than 18 acres has dried up for the second year in a row.
Thanks to paucity of funds at Balangir Municipality and closure of renovation and repair scheme in the Minor Irrigation department, the desiltation work could not be taken up.
The drying of Karangakata pond has sparked resentment among citizens here who held a meeting inside the dried pond on June 5 under the banner of Karangakata Banchao Samiti and resolved to save it.
The Karangakata pond was known for its crystal clear waters and was used for drinking water purpose, pointed out a local here.
In 2016, although there was good rain, yet the pond dried up this year.
Following public resentment, the Bolangir municipality in 2016 had spent around Rs 5 lakh for desiltation of soil of Karangakata which hardly served any purpose
After this, the Bolangir Municipality handed over the 17ponds to the Minor Irrigation department to take up renovation, restoration and repair of ponds.
However, according to sources, the MI department after keeping the files for more than a year returned them to the Bolangir Municipality in March this year saying that the scheme to take up repair renovation and restoration of water bodies /ponds had been closed.
Meanwhile, Rs lakh has been sanctioned by the Bolangir Municipality to take up construction of concrete road stone pitting and construction of bathing ghats in the Karangakata pond.
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