Lotus and water lily for saving water bodies

KOCHI: An ambitious plan to protect the ponds and other water sources has been taken up by the district panchayat against the backdrop of widespread reclamation of paddy fields and mangrove swamps taking place in the district.Christened ‘Lotus and Water Lily’, the project is seen as a big step in keeping the ponds and water bodies in the district clean. This will help recharge the groundwater table, Eldose Kunnappilly, president, district panchayat, said.The project will be implemented with the help of workers under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Kudumbasree and schools.Expressing concern over the pollution levels in ponds and rivers in the district, he said that it was high time that the water bodies were protected or else they would either  disappear or be fully polluted.But the district panchayat has not made any blueprint of the project and it appears to be vague about it.They have not identified the water bodies to be brought under the purview of the project.When contacted, a top official in the district panchayat expressed ignorance about the project.Under the plan the project will be implemented in association with the agriculture department. The seeds and technical expertise  will be extended by the district agriculture department.Describing the project as marvelous the chief of the Ernakulam District Residents Association. Apex Council (EDRAAC) P  Rangadasa Prabhu said such steps will help protect nature. But this alone would not help unless the government shows its will to ban filling of paddy fields and mangrove swamps.He also called upon the public to participate in the implementation of the project and suggested that there should be a broad consensus on the issue of protecting the water bodies.  There are a number of ponds in private properties over which the government has no control. Access to these ponds need the concurrence of the owner of the property. It is possible for the panchayat to take the landowners into confidence by engaging them in discussion for its successful implementation.