Chennai, May 24 (IANS): Tirupattur district in Tamil Nadu is planning to dig 1,500 ponds in 15 days, with an aim to set a world record.

The project is an initiative of Tirupattur District Collector, N. Bhaskara Pandian, who told IANS that the ponds are being dug for recharging ground water so that there is enough for drinking and farming purposes.

According to district officials, there are 208 gram panchayats and seven ponds will be dug in each.

Funds for the project will be sourced from the respective village panchayats and services of workers of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) would be used for digging the ponds.

Tirupattur is trying to beat the performance of Tiruvannamalai district that had dug up 1,127 ponds in 30 days time.

The Tirupattur district administration is planning to involve private participation in digging the ponds and ponds that are dug in private properties would be allowed to grow fish fingerlings.

The fish fingerlings will be grown with the support of the fisheries department.

The ponds, according to sources in the district administration, will be 72 feet long, 36 feet wide, and 6 feet deep and to prevent soil erosion, indigenous tree varieties will be planted on the banks.

The tree varieties include Alam, Arasam, Vembu, Pungan and Maruthu.