Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, March 29: The Centre for Environmental Studies (CES) is planning to clean 17 ponds here in a move aimed at achieving a ‘clean and green’ environment in the capital city.
“Our proposal to conduct a cleanliness drive has been included by the forest and environment department in the state budget this year. Work will begin once enough funds are raised. The campaign will be accomplished in collaboration with other voluntary organisations,” said Sailabala Padhi, CES director.
Officials said the focus would mainly be on temple tanks across the city where littering is common. Sources said machines will be placed in the middle of the ponds to create waves, thereby pushing the litter to the banks.
“We will do the reclamation and renovation of the inland water bodies in the city for which we have chosen four such ponds – one each in Nayapalli, Rasulgarh, Jharpara and Goutam Nagar – in the first phase. We will ensure that the ponds will not be contaminated with wastewater,” said Padhi.
Padhi said after the cleanliness of the ponds, CES will do a scientific analysis of the water bodies and will focus on cultivation of valuable algae.