IAS officer leads by example to save water bodies

Ponds and lakes in Ernakulam, Kerala seems to have sprung to life. People used to pay very little importance to these water bodies and most of them got 'closed' for want of attention. Villagers failed to realize that these water bodies are of great significance as they act as natural sinks to collect rainwater and prevent flooding. In Ernakulam district, the number of ponds dwindled from 2,300 ponds in 1980 to as low as 800 at present. IAS officer Rajamanickam decided that it was high time the ponds should be restored to its original clean form. He himself waded through the dirty pond and initiated the cleaning process that included desilting and removal of garbage choking the pond, thus increasing its holding capacity. When Rajamanickam was a child, he noticed that before every monsoon, there was a practice of cleaning the village ponds and one member from each family volunteered for the task. It was more like a community work and the ponds and lakes in those times were healthy and fit for human use. Rajamanickam was saddened by the pathetic state of the ponds and their dwindling numbers. When he started in his mission of cleaning up ponds, the locals weren't easily convinced, but after 4 to 5 ponds, they also pitched in and 53 ponds were cleaned last year. Thus, through the efforts of Rajamanickam, the community practice of reviving ponds took root.