DHAKA: The government has embarked on a project to supply pure water through preserving rainwater after recovering 2,300 ponds of the country’s 61 district councils from illegal occupants, reports BSS.

Local Government Division Secretary Abdul Malek said this while inaugurating the day-long Bijoy Mela at LGED headquarters here yesterday organized by the Local Government Division marking the great Victory Day.

Works, he said, are progressing to re-excavate the illegally occupied derelict ponds for preserving and purifying rainwater. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has approved the project and sanctioned money for its implementation, he added.

The secretary said only rainwater would be preserved on this re-excavated ponds as fishes would not be cultivated there.

He said ‘ponds and filter’ would be set up on the banks of the ponds to help people use pure water.

Malek said different projects worth Taka 37 thousand crore were being implemented through Dhaka WASA to ensure supply of pure water in the capital city.

Director General of the Local Government Division Additional Secretary ASM Mahbubul Alam, Chief Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) M Abul Kalam Azad, Chief Engineer of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) Md. Rashidul Haque and senior officials of the ministry and concerned departments were present.

LGED, DPHE, Dhaka WASA and Dhaka South City Corporation, different departments and organizations took part in the fair.

A total of 19 stalls have been set up in the fair.