Deputy mayor Ajay Nath (in jeans) takes up the shovel at a pond site. (Hardeep Singh)

Ranchi, June 18: Deputy mayor Ajay Nath Shahdeo is on a mission to revive dying water bodies in and around the state capital.

With the help of local residents and without the backing of government funds, the deputy mayor has already revived two water bodies, which were on the verge of extinction because of heavy silting. And more such projects are in the piepline.

For the last few years, villagers living around Dashawali Talab in Harmu and Pugdu Talab in Tupudana had been waiting for the government to step in and desilt and revive the ponds. Eventually, it was the effort of the community, with Shahdeo’s support, that paid off.

While Dashawali Talab is spread over an acre, Pugdu Talab covers more than three acres.

“Records suggest that at one time there were more than 2,000 ponds in Ranchi. They had been dug by the British to ensure the ground water level of the region did not fall. Our present effort is to aid rainwater harvesting and maintain the ground water level, which is going down alarmingly,” said Shahdeo, explaining the rationale behind his mission.

Ironically, Dashawali Talab in Harmu was the source of water supply when new houses were being constructed in the locality. However, once the highrises came up, no one bothered to revive the pond.

Local residents — mostly Oraons and Mundas — for whom the pond held much significance as they had used it during religious festivals for generations, decided to step in to prevent the pond’s untimely death.

“For five years we had been trying to desilt the pond. This year we succeeded because of Shahdeo,” said Rabi Tigga, secretary of Harmu Sarna Samiti.

The pond, which had virtually ceased to exist because of heavy silting, took the effort of 300 local residents who dug tirelessly for two weeks to restore the space into a 10-feet-deep pond. Shahdeo, villagers said, joined in the task himself, along with two ward commissioners — Pradeep Kumar and Shibu Tigga.

Desilting of Pugdu Talab at Tupudana, a village on the outskirts of the city, took the effort of 500 villagers and one-and-a-half month’s work.

“Had we waited for the government, the desilting work would have remained a dream,” said Amar Kujur, a resident of Tupudana.

The two ponds are now ready to collect rainwater, which in turn would improve the ground water level.

The two success stories have already inspired residents of Kanke, Nagri and Hatia who have urged Shahdeo to lead their community effort to revive local water bodies.

“My final goal is to clean up Bara Talab (Ranchi Lake) with the help of the community,” Shahdeo said.