Neglected ponds, wells on mill premises to be revived

Indore: Ponds and wells that had been constructed mostly in the areas where textile mills used to operate, have turned into garbage dumps breeding mosquitoes.Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) now plans to revive them to help in groundwater recharge and also use them as alternate facility to meet growing demand for water in city.There are six textile mills located in the central part of the city which have been shut but their structures still exist. “These six mills ---Malwa, Hukumchand, Kalyan, Swadesh, Rajkumar and Hope (Bhandari) have at least six manmade ponds and 20 big ponds made of stones, which are a beautiful example of around 100-year-old architecture,” Indore Mill Mazdoor Sangh president Harnam Dhariwal told TOI.“As they have been lying in vulnerable conditions, these ponds and wells have turned into garbage dumps, mosquito breeding grounds and even suicide points. The pond at Rajkumar Mill is the most infamous one as many people, including women with their children, have committed suicide there. It was only after IMC, acting on public demand, erected a tall iron net around it, that the incidents of people jumping in the waterbody to end their life stopped,” said Dhariwal.He also emphasized on making right use of these waterbodies by proper cleaning, desilting, and removing moss. “These ponds and wells can help in rainwater conservation, groundwater recharge and meet growing demands of water at least in gardening, construction and other such works,” he said, adding that the association, which holds possession of mills’ assets till all workers are paid their dues, is ready to provide all possible assistance to IMC in restoration of these water bodies.IMC commissioner Harshika Singh said that the matter came to her notice after TOI quizzed her about civic body’s plan to restore them. “We will immediately take it up and ensure that a team visits these places on Tuesday for spot inspection and identify the areas to work upon. We will ensure these waterbodies are protected well, properly cleaned and the areas beautified,” she said.