Ponds in Girivalam path to be surveyed for restoration

Survey of 178 ponds along Girivalam path near Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai town for restoration and rejuvenation.

A special committee comprising Village Administrative Officer (VAO), surveyor, deputy block development officer and pointsman will survey 178 existing ponds along Girivalam path near Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai town to restore its original space of these water bodies in the coming months. Accompanied by officials of HR&CE and revenue, Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian inspected a few ponds, including Kuberan and Adaiyur ponds, on the Girivalam path, on Thursday, as part of restoration of these waterbodies. “A detailed survey, ordered by the district administration, will help to assess the existing area of ponds compared to its original space. Thereafter, encroachments will be demolished before complete rejuvenation work is taken up,” S. Arunachalam, Block Development Officer (Tiruvannamalai), told The Hindu. At present, the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), HR&CE and Revenue Department have ponds within town limits including Girivalam path. Of total 178 identified ponds, 106 ponds belong to revenue, 49 ponds to HR&CE and 23 ponds to DRDA. Most of the ponds are located on the 14-km-long Girivalam path that comprises six village panchayats and a portion of Tiruvannamalai municipality.   Revenue officials said most of the ponds along the path have been encroached over the years. Encroachments of these waterbodies and channels that discharge excess rainwater has resulted in inundation of town during monsoon. In 2021 floods, the town including the Collectorate was cut off from the rest of the district due to inundation.   Each pond, on an average, covers three acres, 20-25 ft deep and 30 granite stairs on all its sides. Most of the ponds have inlets of storm water drains and other water channels to discharge excess rainwater.   The survey will measure the existing total space of these waterbodies. Based on it, encroachments will be identified before they are razed. Landless affected families will be given at least three cents of government land as compensation. Alongside the survey, revenue officials said that clogged water channels and drains will be cleaned around these ponds before northeast monsoon.