A total of 64 ponds and sources of fresh water have been cleaned up so far under a programme to clean up a hundred such waterbodies over 50 days.
These ponds have been cleaned up in 31 days since the programme was launched, said a press release here.
Seven ponds and water sources in Moovattupuzha were cleaned up on May 1. Volunteers from Anpodu Kochi, Haritha Keralam Mission, Nehru Yuva Kendra, local government bodies and NSS volunteers participated in the programme, the release added.
District Collector K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla visited the ponds and waterbodies that were cleaned up on Monday.
An exhibition of works by students of Mar Stephen’s School in Vaalakam panchayat was inaugurated by the District Collector.
The district is facing the driest weather in 115 years and rainwater harvesting is the only way to survive the present conditions, the press release added. The Collector said that there were around 2,500 ponds in the district about 20 years ago.
The number has shrunk to 600 now. It is important that local residents take steps to conserve these waterbodies, said the collector.
