Berhampur: The Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC), which renovated 28 out of 42 water bodies to meet the water requirement of this south Odisha city, is now on a move to renovate 4 other ponds.
These are Beda Bandha in Gosaninuagaon, Haridakhandi, Ainabandha and Agula bandha.
BeMC would take up the renovation and beautification of the Beda Bandha situated on 33 acres of land on priority basis for which the detailed project report (DPR) has already been prepared at an estimated cost of Rs 29.22 crore.
Rs 4 crore has already been sanctioned in the first phase. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to inaugurate this project during his Ganjam visit on March 26.
During the first phase, steps would be taken to de-silt and clean the pond. Three self help groups (SHG) have been assigned to do the work and more SHG groups would be included in this renovation work, BeMC sources said.
The beautification of beda Bandha would be guided by the latest technology without cement and iron rod. No chemicals would be used to clean the water body. During the second phase the BeMC has planned to construct the park, pathway, electrification and others. Steps would also be taken to preserve the water, said BeMC Commissioner J Sonal.
A team of the BeMC visited Bengaluru recently to study renovation of water bodies through natural processes. They would experiment the process in Beda Bandha, sources said.
The renovation and beautification of Beda Bandha is expected to be more appealing than Ramalingam Tank Park which has attracted tourists of late, according to local corporator ward number 26 Dhiresh Sabat.
Berhampur water bodies are also part of the local hydrologic system. It helps keep monsoon waters for the drier periods of the year, to canalize these important flows preventing water logging, inundation and erosion and to ensure the refilling of groundwater. They also support a rich ecosystem.
