Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (MS)

Kundapur, May 6: Many youth associations work in this taluk. They do some social work and also organize cultural programmes, give aid to the poor and felicitate eminent personalities. However, one association stands among the rest. A group of youths have formed ‘Kundapur Brigade’ and have made a resolution to give new look to old ponds that were historically famous in this taluk by reviving them. Nearly 40 to 50 members of Kundapur Brigade are involved in the work of cleaning the ponds.

The team cleaned the pond at Vinayaka Temple that was filled with dirt and silt. The pond is situated adjacent to the national highway at Gundmi near here.

The youth team started the work at 6 am in the morning and did not even bother the simmering heat and continued their work with dedication. Y Subramanya Aithal, eminent person of the administration committee of the temple and Niranjan Tallur, chief of Kundapur Brigade, took the leadership of this cleaning campaign.

There are many ponds of this nature that fall under the limits of most of the gram panchayats. However, the panchayats are least bothered about reviving such water sources that have dried up and now being used as dumping yards.

The revival of ponds that are closed due to silt, mud and growing of bushes and thorns on them will help to increase the ground water level, if the silt and mud are removed from them. But the panchayats, which have to take care of such revival programmes, are not giving proper attention. The locals have expressed their rage towards the lackluster attitude of the panchayats. It is really shameful that the volunteers of other parts of the taluk are showing interest in cleaning the ponds while the panchayat is showing utter negligence.

Hope this exemplary act of the Kundapur Brigade will awaken the responsibilities of the panchayats and more ponds of this nature will be cleaned, thereby increasing the ground water level.