Puducherry, Feb 2 (IANS): A four-member team led by the Central Water Commission director Abhishek Saxena has reached the Union Territory of Puducherry to assist the local government in preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a sustainable water management project in Puducherry and Karaikkal.

It may be recalled that the Puducherry government had sought Central funding to restore water bodies. This was to increase the quantity and quality of the drinking water to reduce the water stress due to the increase in tourist footfalls and increasing urbanization.

Puducherry PWD minister, K. Lakshminarayanan while speaking to media persons said, "I had sent a letter to the Jal Shakti ministry for the construction of bed dams, strengthening of river bunds and retaining walls. This would store water from the monsoon, recharge the water table and reduce the salinity of groundwater."

The Union ministry had asked the government to submit a DPR as per the guidelines of the CWC. This was for a techno feasibility appraisal but nothing was done.

Even after one year, when nothing happened, the ministry deputed four officials from the CWC to prepare a DPR. This was after Member of Parliament, Vaithalingam raised the issue in the Lok Sabha.