more-in The PWD will undertake a drive to desilt 20 tanks and 32 ponds and to clear weeds from canals, ahead of the South-West monsoon. This was one of the decisions taken at the second review meeting of the Water Rich Puducherry mission convened at the Raj Nivas by Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi. Funds for the drive have been earmarked and the PWD has been assigned the task of completing all related works well before the monsoon. Commending officers of government departments for completing or getting a move on the assigned tasks, Ms. Bedi pointed out that river profiling of the Sankarabarani to ensure technical correctness for erecting bed dams and water harvesting at right places was done. Likewise, the identification of all defunct water harvesting systems to be recharged was over even as locating sites for more water harvesting pits in public parks, educational institutions and government lands was in process. According to Ms. Bedi, a policy for installation of water meters at borewells detailing water table status and capacity was on the anvil alongside preparation of Standard Operating Procedures for tanks, tube wells and motors. The Departments of Science Technology & Environment, Industries & Groundwater Authority would jointly work on creating an online system where industries could file their water test reports and water table reports, which could be monitored online. Also, the treated water from industries, which is not potable, would be used for cooling towers in plastic/chemical industries instead of letting out into drains. A policy on this was in the making. It was also decided at the meet that the tasks of removing hyacinth in rivers and lakes would be outsourced. A policy was under preparation for use of Secondary Treated Effluent Water for industrial purpose. Ms. Bedi has scheduled the next review for July 9. A. Anbarasu, Development Secretary, officials from various departments, and Dr. Subramanian, senior hydrologist from Central Groundwater Authority, Chennai, who is assisting the Water Rich Puducherry initiative, participated in the meeting.

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